3 Questions to Ask Before Every Workout to Minimize Injury
I just dropped a new video breaking down 3 questions to ask before every workout to minimize injury
This separates people who stay consistent in the gym for years from those who get constantly sidelined by pain and setbacks.
Here's what I discuss:
[00:43] - Why tracking weights, reps, and sets is missing the most important piece
[01:54] - The two camps of lifters (and why both camps fail when it matters most)
[03:46] - The simple readiness formula: Recovery + Resilience = Your capacity today
[09:00] - Real example: How I avoided injury by ditching my planned heavy deadlifts
It’s a signal your body sends when you’re not ready for the load you’re giving it.
But most people only track output (what they did)... not readiness (what their body could actually handle).
This isn’t about skipping workouts or obsessing over metrics.
It’s about training smarter so you can stay consistent and stop repeating the pain cycle.
🎥 Watch the full breakdown here: WATCH NOW
Talk soon,
Gabe
The truth about pain that will upset every rehab "expert"
I just dropped a video that will upset every rehab expert (but it needs to be said)
In this breakdown, I talk about:
Why tracking pain location instead of pain triggers keeps you stuck
My approach for you to get out of pain that works WITH your lifting goals
How my client Alberto went from chronic back pain to virtually pain-free in just 12 weeks (as a busy young father).
Key insight: You're not fragile or invincible..You're adaptable.
Watch the complete breakdown here: ➡️ WATCH NOW
Talk soon,
Gabe
PS: If you're wondering how to make this work for you, check out this video.
Hey Gabe, Just wanted to let you know...
I got this message from a client:
"Hey Gabe, Just wanted to let you know that my shoulder feels much better, less pain during my sleep. Hope this continues. I thought I sent this message already. Anyways have a good weekend"
Here's what makes this message different from the usual "thanks coach" texts I get...
She was trying different approaches forever...
But the pain? Still there every single night.
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The Problem With "Safe" Exercise Selection
Most approaches to shoulder pain follow the same playbook:
❌ Avoid overhead pressing
❌ Stick to light weights
❌ Do endless band exercises
❌ "Let it heal naturally"
But here's what nobody talks about: Your shoulder doesn't know the difference between "safe" and "unsafe" exercises.
It only knows one thing: Is the stress dosing exactly right for adaptation?
When you avoid movements, you're not eliminating the problem, you're just moving the stress elsewhere.
That's why my client's pain persisted for months of "perfect" avoidance.
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The Truth About Pain-Free Training
Most people get trapped between two bad options:
Train through pain (and make it worse)
Avoid exercises forever (and never actually fix anything)
But there's a third option that most people never discover:
Train WITH your pain signals to eliminate them permanently.
Your body is designed to handle heavy loads without pain.
The issue isn't that you're broken, it's that you need a system that works WITH your nervous system instead of against it.
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Why This Matters For Your Training
If you're currently modifying exercises because of pain, ask yourself:
How long have you been "managing" instead of solving?
What movements are you avoiding that you used to love?
What happens if this becomes permanent?
The truth is, every week you spend avoiding movements is another week your nervous system learns to fear them.
But it doesn't have to be this way.
You just have to find the right dose.
Talk soon,
Gabe
PS: DM "REBUILD" on Instagram and I'll help you find your optimal dose.
Why Your Training Is Creating Pain (And How to Fix It)
I just dropped a video that reveals why most lifters are training completely backwards (and how to fix it).
In this breakdown, I talk about:
Why random training creates the pain you're trying to avoid (0:43)
The 3-phase system that eliminates pain while building strength (3:16)
How my client went from 180 to 205 bench press pain-free (1:39)
Key insight: You can't build strength on broken movement patterns.
Most lifters think they have to choose between training hard and staying pain-free.
That's completely wrong.
Watch the complete breakdown here: ➡️ WATCH NOW
Even if you only watch one section, skip to 3:16 - this framework has helped others train pain-free while hitting PRs.
Talk soon,
Gabe
P.S. Drop a comment on the video with your biggest training frustration. Are you jumping straight to heavy weights or building a foundation first? I'm responding to every single one with personalized advice.
Do We Really Need 10,000 Steps?
Just dropped a new Wellness Debunked episode: "Do We Really Need 10,000 Steps?"
Spoiler: That magic number? Total marketing BS from the 1960s. 😅
We dive into:
The origins of 10,000 steps
Why your fitness tracker might be sabotaging you
What to focus on instead (hint: it's not a number!)
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods.
And as always, follow us @wellnessdebunked on Instagram for more myth-busting content!
➡️ LISTEN OR WATCH HERE 🎙️
Talk soon,
Gabe
P.S. Your health isn't measured in steps. Remember that. 💪
3 mistakes draining your gym energy (and making pain worse)
I Just dropped a video that reveals the 3 mistakes destroying your energy and making your pain worse.
In this breakdown, I expose:
Why training "harder" is making you weaker and more pain-prone (1:46)
The stress connection that sabotages your movement patterns (4:57)
Body warning signals that predict pain before it happens (6:53)
Key insight: Fatigue and pain aren't separate issues.
Most people think exhaustion after workouts is normal.
It's actually a sign your approach is broken.
Watch the complete breakdown here: WATCH NOW
Even if you only watch one section, skip to 6:53...These warning signals could prevent your next injury.
Talk soon,
Gabe
P.S. Drop a comment on the video with your biggest struggle. constant fatigue or nagging pain. I'm responding to every single one with personalized advice.
STOP Avoiding Painful Exercises. This Method Works Better
I just posted a YouTube video covering how to “Train Through Pain” like a pro…
If you have been struggling with:
Modifying every workout because of nagging pain
Avoiding your favorite exercises for weeks or months…
Or you just hate feeling limited by your body when you want to train hard...
This video will help you understand why avoiding painful exercises makes your pain WORSE.
Show you the exact RESET framework to modify movements instead of eliminating them.
And help you get off the “pain modification hamster wheel” so you can focus on making progress.
If you want to train consistently without pain limitations, this is the answer.
Enjoy!
Gabe
3 movements you MUST try if you're in pain
If your shoulder flares up every time you bench...
Or your knees ache after squats…
But resting only helps temporarily
This video will change everything.
Here’s the problem:
You’re treating the leak, not the hole in the roof.
Pain isn’t random. It’s a chain reaction caused by movement compensations your body’s been stacking for years.
In this video, I break it all down:
✅ The 3 movement tests that could reveal hidden restrictions
✅ Why your pain always returns to the same spot
✅ My step-by-step RESET system to fix the root (not just the symptoms)
🎥 Watch now: Why Your Pain Keeps Coming Back (The 3-Pattern Fix That Actually Works)
Hope this helps!
Gabe
P.S. You’ll find my free Pain-Free Progression Cheat Sheet linked in the video description. Grab it, it’s the exact method I use with my 1:1 clients.
Still stretching your hip flexors for squat pain? 😬
Still stretching your hip flexors to fix squat pain? 🥲
Here’s why that's not working:
It’s not a mobility issue. It’s a movement mismatch.
And the longer you keep treating it like a flexibility problem…
The longer you stay stuck modifying instead of progressing.
Most people I assess can’t answer these 3 questions:
Are your main lifts matched to your joint structure?
Do your squat variations account for your mobility caps?
Is your intensity progressing without increasing symptoms?
If you can’t say yes with confidence...you’re guessing.
And that’s what’s costing you results.
In the RESET phase of my program (phase 2/3), we remove the guesswork
We select lifts that match your body now.
So you can train hard without flare-ups, and build back better patterns over time.
DM me “CALL ME” on Instagram and we'll chat on some squat variations to test this week.
Let’s stop managing symptoms and start actually progressing.
Talk soon,
Gabe
PS: Missed any of my other emails? Read them here
One Mindset Shift That Can Change Your Pain 🤯
Most people treat pain wrong. This changes that:
I’ve noticed something weird:
People who track every set, every rep, every movement...
Completely wing it when they’re in pain.
✅ If their squat stalls? They assess, adjust, and fix it.
😩 But if their knee hurts during squats? They modify, hope, do random stretches on Instagram and pray it goes away.
This is a huge reason why pain drags on for months (or years).
In my latest YouTube video, I break down one simple shift that can change everything for you.
You'll learn:
Why pain feels random (but isn’t)
The 5-step system I use to eliminate pain and get people back to full training
Exactly what to track, what to look for, and how to make a real plan
🎥 Watch it here now: "One Mindset Shift That Changes Your Approach To Pain"
If you're stuck in pain and serious about your training, this will hit hard.
Talk soon,
Gabe
Metabolism doesn’t slow with age (Here’s what actually happens)
Just dropped a new podcast episode with David Amerland…
…and it’s probably the most important conversation we’ve had on metabolism.
Forget what you’ve heard about “slowing down with age.”
The research says otherwise. Metabolism stays stable from age 20 to 60!
So if you’ve been blaming your body, this episode might be your turning point.
David, a chemical engineer and author with black belts in three martial arts (yes, really), breaks it all down:
The real science behind energy, stress, and aging
A wild Harvard study on hotel maids that shows how mindset changes metabolism
Why dieting history makes fat loss harder and how to reverse it
The metabolic cost of stress (and how Navy SEALs regulate theirs mid-firefight)
And why we need to stop chasing “fitness” if we actually want health
🎧 Listen now → ALL YOUR ANSWERS TO METABOLISM AND WEIGHT LOSS ARE HERE
This one will challenge what you think you know and help you rebuild trust with your body.
Talk soon,
Gabe
P.S. Seriously....If you’ve ever felt like your metabolism is fighting you, this episode is for you.
How To Recover 50% faster
And it reveals something most people completely miss.
The secret to faster recovery isn’t WHAT you eat.
It’s WHEN you eat it.
Client hits her first chin-up in 15 years.
Just by changing protein intake.
Another client stops feeling destroyed after sessions.
Same food. Different timing.
Mind-blowing, right?
Here’s what’s happening:
Your body needs the right fuel at specific moments.
Most people eat randomly.
Then wonder why recovery sucks.
There’s a strategic protocol for this.
Pre-workout timing.
Post-workout windows.
The exact foods that work.
And three simple ways to implement it.
Even if you’re crazy busy.
➡️ Watch the full breakdown here
Your next session starts with how you fuel the last one.
Train smart,
Gabe
This makes your pain worse
I just dropped a new YouTube video.
And it might blow your mind.
Your knee pain during squats?
Might have nothing to do with your form.
Or your program.
Or "weak glutes".
Here's the real culprit:
Poor sleep and stress.
Sounds crazy, right?
But think about this:
Some days you squat pain-free.
Other days, same weight... your knee screams.
What changed?
Not your technique.
Your pain threshold.
When you're tired or stressed, your body becomes hypersensitive.
Movements that normally feel fine suddenly hurt.
I lived this during my studies.
Exam periods = worse pain.
Every time.
The connection was undeniable.
Want the full story?
How this creates a brutal cycle.
The simple fixes that actually work.
And how to track the patterns yourself.
Your pain might not be what you think.
Train smart,
Gabe
PS: Need help getting out of pain? Book a call with me here to see if were a good fit
If we're not, I'll refer you to someone who is.
Why your pain keeps coming back (it's not what you think)
You do the PT exercises.
You modify your training.
Pain still returns.
Why?
Because most pain isn’t just caused by movement.
It’s shaped by what you bring into training.
Especially poor sleep and high stress.
Poor sleep = less recovery
Stress = more pain sensitivity
Movement breaks down
Pain returns
You feel stuck
Try this tonight:
- Turn off screens 1 hour before bed
- Cool your room to 18–20°C
Small changes. Big difference.
Quick check:
- Sleeping < 7 hours?
- Stress levels rising?
- Pain showing up more often?
If yes, the issue might not be your form...it’s your habits.
Talk soon,
Gabe
P.S. Tired of playing whack-a-mole with pain?
Book a free 15-min call here and I’ll help you identify what’s actually causing it and how to fix it.
Watch this before you modify another workout
I just dropped a new YouTube video that reveals the hidden triggers that may be keeping you stuck in the pain cycle.
In this breakdown, I cover:
Compensatory Movement Patterns: The subtle adaptations your body makes that keep you locked in pain
Recovery Threshold Miscalculation: Why your body's capacity to handle training stress fluctuates daily
Improper Loading Progression: How the way you advance weights might be sabotaging your progress
This is exactly how I went from being stuck in pain for 3 years to deadlifting nearly 500 pounds pain-free.
Watch the complete breakdown here: WATCH NOW
If you've been modifying workouts for weeks, months, or even years without solving the root cause, this video will change your approach.
Enjoy!
Gabe
The training variable that fluctuates daily (but no one tracks it)
“Just push through it"
That's what most fitness enthusiasts hear when they mention pain.
But after helping over 100 people eliminate pain, I've discovered something surprising:
It's not about pushing through OR backing off.
It's about understanding your Recovery Threshold.
Every body has a specific threshold.
The amount of training stress it can handle before pain signals fire.
But here's the key insight most people miss:
This threshold isn't fixed. It fluctuates daily based on:
Sleep quality from the previous 2-3 nights
Stress levels from work and personal life
Nutritional status and hydration
Previous training sessions' accumulated fatigue
When I was stuck in my own pain cycle for nearly 3 years
I'd feel good one day and immediately try to train like nothing had ever been wrong.
Two days later, I'd be back on the couch, wondering what happened.
I wasn't respecting the fluctuating nature of my recovery threshold.
Quick self-assessment: Look at your training log for the last month. Do you see any of these patterns?
Two good sessions followed by a major setback
Pain that seems random and unpredictable
Good mornings but painful evenings
Workouts that feel fine during but cause problems hours later
If you answered "yes" to any of these, you're likely miscalculating your recovery threshold.
Keep an eye on your inbox Thursday. I'm dropping a video that will change how you think about pain management
(hint: it's not just more rehab exercises).
Talk soon,
Gabe
Why your knee pain keeps coming back (and what to do about it)
One of the most frustrating things about training pain is its persistence.
You rest, you modify, you try different exercises… and yet it keeps returning.
Why?
The problem isn’t what most trainers think it is.
After working with 100+ people in pain, I’ve seen this typical pattern:
Pain appears during a specific movement
You modify the exercise or reduce the load
Pain temporarily improves
You return to normal training
Pain comes back (often worse)
Repeat until frustrated
Sound familiar?
The critical insight: Modifications don’t fix triggers; they just mask symptoms temporarily.
Here’s a quick assessment to identify your specific knee pain triggers:
During a bodyweight squat, does your torso bend forward making you unable to go low?
Can you maintain heel contact throughout the full range of motion?
Does one side feel noticeably different than the other?
These three checkpoints can reveal the hidden movement patterns that may be causing your pain to return.
I’d love to know...What’s the most frustrating part of dealing with your knee pain?
DM me on Instagram and share
1. Your specific pain location
2. How long you’ve been dealing with it
3. What you’ve tried that hasn’t worked
I personally respond to every message with custom feedback.
Talk soon,
Gabe
Watch how I went from daily back pain to complete recovery
Last week, I realized something important from my own pain journey:
Pain isn't just something to "manage" or "work around."
It's a signal that your training system needs a complete reset.
The Endless Modification Cycle
If you're reading this, your training week probably looks familiar:
Monday: Modify your squat because your knee feels "off"
Wednesday: Avoid deadlifts because your back is sensitive
Friday: Reduce weight on overhead press because of your shoulder
You're not injured enough to stop, but never quite training at 100% either.
VIDEO: My First Year of Rehab
For three years, I couldn't squat, bench, or deadlift without sharp pain.
I tried everything:
Massage therapy (temporary relief)
Random mobility routines (inconsistent results)
"Just rest" (pain returned immediately)
Generic programs (made things worse)
What Finally Changed Everything
What changed wasn't a miracle treatment.
It was a systematic approach that addressed the ROOT of the problem.
Through my own pain journey, I developed the REVEAL → RESET → REBUILD system:
PHASE 1: REVEAL We identify exactly what's triggering your pain (often not what you think).
PHASE 2: RESET We rebuild your foundation with deliberate movement and strategic exercise selection.
PHASE 3: REBUILD We implement structured progressions that build strength without setbacks.
What Makes This Different?
Generic trainers tell you to "modify" or "just rest."
Some physical therapists give exercises but don't understand progressive strength.
Cookie-cutter programs don't adapt to your specific pain patterns.
This system wasn't created in a classroom.
It was forged through my own struggle to overcome pain when nothing else worked.
The results? I went from unable to load a barbell to deadlifting 430 pounds pain-free.
More importantly, I've maintained that progress for years.
Talk soon,
Gabe
P.S. Want to see how this would work for your specific situation? Book a call and I'll show you exactly how to apply this system: BOOK NOW
I changed my training—and I regret it
I regret I didn't do it sooner.
I used to train for aesthetics. Chasing the look and the mirror check.
That led to a never-ending chase. So I shifted my focus.
Because when I train—the world quiets.
No notifications. No to-do lists. No decisions. Just me and the weights.
It isn’t just training. It’s an anchor.
Because every time I walk out of the gym I feel sharper. Clearer.
Ready to make decisions that move me forward. And soon?
When my baby gets here—I won’t just be running a business.
I’ll be showing up as a father. With energy. With presence.
With strength that lasts beyond just the gym.
I don’t train for the numbers. But for the capacity to handle everything else.
Gabe
Owner, GMarco Kinesiology
PS: If you’re ready to train in a way that fuels your work, energy, and leadership—without wasting time on workouts that don’t deliver...
Let’s build that system together.
i’m bored. It’s time for a change.
If training gets boring, it means you should switch it up—right?
Let me guess.
You start a new program—you’re fired up.
It feels fresh, exciting, like this one’s it.
Week 1? Locked in.
Week 2? Still going strong.
Week 3? You’re already getting bored…
So you switch again.
And again.
But let me ask you this {{contact.first_name}}:
If you were learning a new language, would you switch to a different one every week?
Or would you stick with it—repeating, refining, until it clicks?
That’s where most people get stuck.
They chase the feeling of momentum, not the structure that creates it.
The hardest part of training isn’t starting.
It’s repeating the same “boring” things long enough to master them.
I’ve coached for over a decade.
And the ones who lean into that repetition?
They’re the ones who actually make progress.
In my coaching program, we train in focused 4–8 week phases.
We evolve the plan based on your progress and your life—not your boredom.
That’s how clients stay consistent, get stronger, and avoid burnout.
Because we don’t just train.
We train with purpose.
If you're ready to train smarter and finally see progress that sticks
DM me the word "READY" here
Talk soon,
Gabe