Why should I lift weights/do resistance training?

Lifting weights and building muscle mass improves your health. Strength and resistance training specifically benefits your cardiovascular system, metabolic markers, joint and bone health, mental well-being, longevity and quality of life.

It also, when combined with appropriate fueling (your food intake), increases muscle mass and changes your body composition. Many studies indicate that women may benefit even more than men from lifting weights. Also, it’s fun and incredibly empowering!  

Who can train with you?

I have a passion for teaching people to lift weights and get strong, so if you want to lift weights and get and feel strong, you can train with me. I have specialized training in perimenopause and menopause and pelvic floor concerns, so I am well-equipped to work with clients leading up to and during those life stages (ages 40 through 80 and beyond!), and I am passionate about people in those stages of life using strength training to improve their health and quality of life. At this point it is well established that strength training provides tremendous benefit to all people as they age.

I welcome clients who are experienced weight lifters and clients who have never touched a weight. I welcome clients living in any size body and am proud to offer weight-inclusive and fat-positive training services. I welcome clients who identify as LBGTQIA, and provide a safe space to get strong. I welcome any client who has not felt safe or welcome in a gym or exercise setting, and look forward to helping you find your strength.

(I do not train children or adolescents, only those ages 18 and older.)

Why should I train with you?

I will use my knowledge and clinical skills developed over my 12 years working as a physical therapist, and my decade-plus experience in strength training to help you safely learn to use resistance training to reap the tremendous benefits of building stronger muscles and bones. I will make strength and resistance training approachable, doable and fun, regardless of your exercise history, current fitness level, age, body size or shape or any other factor. Strength is for everyone!

Building strength fundamentally changes our bodies and minds for the better. In addition to all the research-backed reasons to strength train (see above), I believe you will also feel more in touch with your body, confident in your physicality and empowered to move through the world with strength. 

You should train with me if you want to get strong or stronger, if you are worried about age-related muscle or bone loss, or if you have always avoided lifting weights for any reason but now want to gain the benefits of strength training. You might want to train with me because you know you need to start strength training (your doctor, partner, best friend, neighbor, etc told you so) but you just don’t know where to start.

If you are someone who is already well versed in strength training but you want more guidance on programming, lifestyle and dietary changes to fuel lifting and see results, or you are looking for accountability and inspiration, I can help you with that too. 

Where is your in-person training space?

Currently I am training in-person clients at John Lavoie Training, located at 20 Concord Lane in Cambridge, MA (near Alewife and Fresh Pond.) This is a shared gym space, primarily used by personal trainers for one-on-one clients and small group classes. The gym is fully equipped for all strength training and conditioning needs, and has showers and changing facilities.

Do I need my own equipment?

For virtual or in-home training, yes. For virtual training you will need some basic equipment right away, but it can be very basic and I will work with what you have. For in-home training I can bring some equipment with me to get us started, but you will want to acquire some weights or heavy duty resistance bands of your own. We can discuss the details of starting equipment during your complimentary 20 minute intake call.

Will you diagnose my injuries and/or can I do physical therapy with you?

As a licensed physical therapist with 12 years of experience treating orthopedic and persistent pain clients and 4 years of experience treating pelvic floor clients, I am well equipped to work around any medical diagnoses (including osteoporosis/osteopenia), injuries or aches and pains that you have, and I can ensure that the work that we do together will make you stronger and improve your day to day quality of life. However, at Brick House I am not providing physical therapy services, so if you have a referral from your doctor for physical therapy and need physical therapy care, please consider seeing me through the Women’s Journey Practice, or contact me directly (rachel@brickhousestrength.com) to discuss arranging private physical therapy sessions.

Will you tell me what to eat/give me a diet plan?

I don’t provide specific meal plans, but I will provide you with research-backed guidelines on what to eat to appropriately fuel your workouts and to ensure that you will see positive results in strength, muscle mass and body composition from the work that we do together.