Rachel Avey • Strength & Wellness

Rachel Avey • Strength & Wellness Lifting heavy. Eating balanced. Growing glutes + confidence. Here for real, sustainable strength Follow along with me in my journey that started in 2011.

I lost 40 lbs, and then gained some back. I eat paleo 80% of the time and spend my nights and weekends enjoying exercise, including aerial yoga, Piyo, Zumba, weight lifting, hiking, and whatever else peaks my interest!

03/24/2026

Back to Monday lower body.
Progressive load, controlled reps, and zero concern for how it looks mid-set.
If the face isn’t questionable, the weight probably is.





03/21/2026

Friday lower body.
Hip thrusts, reverse lunges, RDL → sumo squat, and banded lateral walks.

Day 3, coming off being sick… and somehow didn’t ease back in.
12,030 lb total volume and an 88% jump in average load.

Halfway through I was like… who built this program??
Oh right. Me. 😅

Had to roundhouse kick this one into submission and call it good.




03/17/2026

Lower body day.
Hip thrusts, RDLs, and wide goblet squats.

Not the most exciting workout today. Fatigue is creeping in and motivation isn’t exactly loud. Week 20 of a 24-week cycle will do that.

But this is the part that matters. Showing up when the novelty is gone and the work is just… work.

Four weeks left. Finish the block.





03/13/2026

Week 19 • Lower Body Stability + Control

Single-leg RDLs and step-ups with a little more weight today, then hamstring slides, band walks, and Copenhagen planks to finish.

These days look quieter than heavy glute days, but they build the control and stability that make the big lifts stronger.

Balance, tension, clean reps.





30 days in.This month wasn’t about chasing the scale… more getting stronger.The numbers on the slides are cool, but the ...
03/13/2026

30 days in.

This month wasn’t about chasing the scale… more getting stronger.

The numbers on the slides are cool, but the bigger wins for me this month were the habits behind them.

• 18 training days
• Strength increases across my main lifts (hip thrusts + RDLs both up)
• Average sleep: 7h 6m
• Deep sleep improving (hit 1h 29m one night)
• HRV trending up
• Fewer “red” recovery mornings
• Resting heart rate down
• Protein averaging ~103g/day

The biggest change I made was moving my workouts to after school drop-off instead of 5am. Turns out my body likes that a lot more.

Still lifting heavy.
Still doing my spin days.
Just being a lot more intentional about recovery and consistency.





It's a subtle shift, but I'm really proud of this progress , these two photos are about 5 weeks apart, and despite feeli...
03/12/2026

It's a subtle shift, but I'm really proud of this progress , these two photos are about 5 weeks apart, and despite feeling bloated during this build phase, noticing small changes like these fuels my excitement and motivation.

03/12/2026

19 weeks of consistency.
Still building.

03/12/2026

Upper body day.

Rows, presses, push-ups, curls, triceps, shoulders, then a core finisher. Nothing fancy. Just stacking solid sets and keeping the progression moving in week 19.

Strength is built in the boring reps most people skip.





03/11/2026

Recovery ride today.
36 minutes keeping it mostly in Zones 1–2, strain at 24%.

Not every day is about pushing harder. Some days are about keeping the engine running while the body catches up.

Low intensity. High payoff later.





03/10/2026

Lower body again today.
Increased weight across every movement and kept the tempo honest.

Hip thrusts, RDLs, squats, step-ups. Same lifts, heavier load, cleaner reps. That’s how this block moves forward.

Progress isn’t flashy. It’s adding weight and doing the work again.





03/07/2026

Combined day today.
Pull + push to keep upper body stimulus, then straight into lower stability work.

Rows, push-ups, single-leg RDLs, step-ups, hamstring slides, lateral walks, and a core finisher. Not a flashy workout, just controlled reps and good positioning.

Some days the goal isn’t max weight. It’s keeping the system moving and the plan on track.





03/03/2026

Week rolling, glutes loading.

9,240 lbs moved with intention today. Hip thrusts, RDLs, step-ups. No rushing, no fluff. Just controlled reps stacking on top of each other.

Heart rate recovered at 57 bpm and strain held at 53%, right where I want it. Strong output without frying the system.

This block is about building, not burning out.
Protein in, recover well, repeat.

Lower body days are earning their spot





Address

Spokane, WA
99208

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Rachel Avey • Strength & Wellness posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram