Michaela Smalley PT

SUMO RDL 🔥

One of my favourite ways to train the posterior chain while getting a little more adductor involvement.

The biggest mistake? Turning it into a squat.

Think hips back → hamstrings load → drive the floor away → squeeze your glutes.

Controlled movement > chasing heavier weight.

Save this for your next lower-body session so you can come back to these cues when you train. 👇

And send this to someone who always turns their RDL into a squat 😂

Your core isn’t just about doing crunches.

A strong core helps you stabilise your spine, transfer force and resist unwanted movement while your arms and legs move.

This variation combines a lat pulldown with a bird dog to challenge your core while also working your lats, glutes and shoulder stability.

The goal isn’t to move fast or use loads of weight.

Slow. Controlled. Stable.

Save this one for your next strength session. 💪

🏋️‍♀️

Summer holidays have definitely changed my posting schedule… two kids at home means life has been a little busier than usual! ☀️💛

But movement doesn’t have to take hours.

This upper body and core workout takes around 15 minutes, hits all the major muscle groups, and is perfect when you’re short on time but still want to train with purpose.

💪 4 rounds:
✔️ Pull-ups
✔️ Dumbbell Bench Press
✔️ Bent-Over Rows
✔️ Lateral Raises
✔️ Pallof Press

Rest 60 seconds between rounds and focus on quality reps.

If you’ve been struggling to fit workouts around work, holidays or family life, this one’s for you.

Save it for your next gym session and let me know how you get on! 👇

🏋️‍♂️

30 degrees and I nearly talked myself out of it. Nearly. 😅

No motivation, no energy, just got up and did it anyway. And now I feel completely different.

That’s the thing about movement, you never regret it. You just have to get out of your own way first.

If you needed a sign today, this is it. Even 20 minutes counts. Just start. 🤍


❤️💪🏼

One of the first things I work on with every postnatal client, reconnecting the deep core. 🤍

Not crunches. Not planks. This.

Your lower belly is controlled by muscles you probably haven’t thought about since before pregnancy. These exercises wake them back up:

✨ Double Leg Kick x30
✨ Alternating Toe Taps x30
✨ Double Toe Taps x30
✨ Dead Bugs x30

🔥 5 rounds. Lower back flat. Exhale on every rep. Go slow, this is about control, not speed.

Whether you’re 6 weeks postpartum or 6 years on, it’s never too late to reconnect. Save this and give it a go today. 💪