Jordan Harder is an athlete, coach and sneaker head. He studied Sports Psychology and Pre-Physical Therapy, while playing Lacrosse at Pacific Lutheran University.  

He helps people optimize and transform their life, not just through fitness, but with the mindsets, skill sets, and strategies needed to reach their goals. He is on a mission to show his clients that the only limits we have are the ones we put on ourselves.

Jordan Harder owns Harder Performance. Harder Performance is high-level coaching that will help you transform your fitness.  Harder’s coaching system is more than just a fitness routine...  he works with clients to help improve their mindsets, skillsets, and habits.

Harder Performance IS NOT…

For people thinking  who think they'll get results in a week.

A quick fix.

A cookie cutter training and nutrition program.

A restrictive/all or nothing approach to training and nutrition.

Harder Performance IS...

A proven system...

By: Aaron Guyett, Education Director

How much do you bench?

I can remember this being repeated over and over and over when I was in high school, and there was a good side to this and a bad side to this being such an important thing for many young men...and still is very important for many circles and groups of both men and women.

Excessive movement training is overtraining, whether it is bench press, burpees, kettlebell swings or jumping jacks, especially if you are not incorporating optimum recovery and mobility.

Bench press can add strength, size, and muscle, specifically to your arms, chest and upper body, and there can be great carry over into sports and athletic pursuits. It also can create injury or mobility limitations if not programmed correctly.

We typically recommend dynamic mobility with a warm-up and a more static mobility with your cool down with every workout session. We also recommend doing twice as much pull strength training as your push strength...

Rachel Prairie, NASM-CPT, Reiki, FAI, PPSC, Living.Fit

Anytime Fitness Manager of Exercise Programming

15 years as a fitness professional Rachel loves to help people connect to themselves, each other and the planet in order to get healthy and stay healthy. As Manager of Exercise Programming for Self Esteem Brands – Anytime Fitness, the largest fitness franchise in the world, she trains trainers and provides operations, technology, advocacy and services to make healthy happen for people across the globe. Rachel is an entrepreneur who’s operated Prairie Fitness for over 10 years and runs wellness retreats, localized pop-up fitness classes, and hosts online kettlebell certifications through the Functional Aging Institute.

Watch the FULL 40 minute interview here: https://www.living.fit/products/living-fit-multimedia/categories/1922292/posts/2151302563

Check out more interviews and articles from Marcus Martinez and Aaron Guyett in the blog, or get full versions by...

Pre workout coffee intake can increase fat burning during exercise. BUT before you fill up your cup for your next workout, keep reading because there are a couple important considerations you should pay attention to.

Coffee is an antioxidant and has compounds that are beneficial for your health and reduce the risk of certain diseases.. On top of that, a recent study just came out shedding light on how caffeine intake of 3mg/kg pre exercise can increase fat oxidation during exercise. 

While all of this is great, there are a few individual circumstances where coffee may not be beneficial. For example, caffeine interferes with estrogen metabolism, so if you have high estrogen levels you may need to cut back on the caffeine. You may also need to cut back if you experience anxiousness, jitters or...hate to say it, but if you rely on caffeine to get you going in the morning/throughout the day, it may be a good idea to slowly decrease the amount you’re consuming.

Whether it’s your first time or you’ve let a few years (or decades) slip by, getting started on your fitness journey can seem like a daunting task. It’s easy to get caught up in what the perfect diet or training plan would look like and then find yourself in the abyss of paralysis by analysis. Spoiler alert: there’s no perfect plan. The best thing you can do is focus on what’s practical given your technical abilities, current fitness level, equipment, and overall stress levels. 

If you’re brand-spanking new to the wide world of fitness then baby steps are the name of the game. The simple act of incorporating a daily, brisk walk can get the ball rolling. Consistency beats intensity. There’s a level of discomfort you’ll have to feel at first, but not only does it go away, but you’ll crave the challenge. A simple full body workout with basic equipment done a one to two  times a week is the best thing you can do in...

Dennis Dunphy Bio:

Dennis’s first endeavor as a fitness professional began in 1999 at 24 Hour Fitness and soon after started his own training business. Many of his clients are 40+ who experience physical issues and pain, and his greatest reward comes from helping others improve physically and mentally. His journey has led to an ever-increasing knowledge of the human body and how all the body’s systems work in unison, which led him to co-create Stick Mobility in 2015 to help others achieve better movement and health.

What I do, how I do it, why I do it.

My life has always been fueled by sports and human movement. It’s something that I’ve always been passionate about. Sports were always present year round whether it was hockey, baseball, football, basketball, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, or horseback riding. Games of chess, bowling, horse shoes, or billiards were always in my wheelhouse. I have noticed this variety has carried over to my career as a movement...

By: Aaron Guyett

Obviously there have been some significant changes in the fitness industry, so we decided to talk about it.

In this video, Julia talks through her online only business and how it thrived, while Aaron and Marcus talk through how their level 4 groups helped each other navigate the changes and succeed during the volatile changes for in-person fitness in 2020 and 2021.

If you found this helpful and you are looking to join the combined Level 4 group that is comprised of trainers, gym owners, fitness managers, education directors, and more, check it out here: Combined Level 4

What you get with Level 4

In-person access to research-based educators that successfully grew and sold their personal training companies and fitness gyms. And combined have over 35 years of experience in the fitness industry.

You also get support and encouragement from like-minded fitness operators. Level 4 members are gym owners, fitness managers, personal trainers, education...

The fitness industry is a wild place. There are so many amazing coaches with phenomenal, useful information that can help a lot of people. On the flip side there’s a darkness to the industry wrought with vanity and potential danger. The key thing with the fitness industry is to be clear on what you want or what your clients need and tread carefully.  It’s easy to get lost in this world of comparison syndrome and highlight reels that even the best-intentioned coach can fall victim to. 

The Good:

The industry is primarily filled with passionate, well-meaning people looking to share their knowledge and help others. There are so many amazing people to connect with and form long lasting business and personal relationships with. This age of social media has highlighted more experts and methodologies than ever before which opens us up to new perspectives that can help us serve our clients even better.  

The Bad:

Comparison syndrome is a...