Jordan Ellis

Every gym has two types of lifters when it comes to warming up: the ones who load 225 onto the bar cold and wonder why their shoulder is barking, and the ones who spend 20 minutes and six plate changes “warming up” before they have done a single working set. Neither one is doing it … Read more

A stalled bench press is one of the most common complaints I hear, and almost nobody diagnoses it correctly before trying to fix it. “My bench is stuck” is not one problem — it is at least three different problems depending on WHERE in the rep the bar stalls, and each one has a completely … Read more

I see this constantly with clients who feel like their deadlift or barbell row has flatlined: they assume it is a back strength problem, program more rows, more deadlifts, more back accessory work — and nothing moves. Then I watch them lift, and the bar is drifting out of their hands two reps before their … Read more

I ask every client who walks in and says, “Jordan, I’ve plateaued” the same question: “Show me your training log.” About 60% of the time, they don’t have one. They have a vague memory of what they lifted last month. And that’s where the diagnosis begins to fall apart. The fitness internet loves to hand … Read more

You’ve probably heard the advice: “Lift heavy weight for low reps.” It’s correct. But it’s also useless without a program you can actually follow. Here’s the reality: strength and muscle size are related but not the same. You can add meaningful weight to your lifts over a training block while changing very little about how … Read more