Resistance Training
Jac’s Training Edition: Ritual Meets Technique
You know that feeling when you catch your own reflection mid-rep and think: damn, I look good working this hard?
That’s what training with me feels like. Every time. Every session starts in the hush before the gym rush. I stand in front of the mirror, compression shorts honest about every line, fitted tank clinging just right. The locker room tile is cool under my sneakers. I run my fingers across the resistance band in my duffel and catch myself flexing—not for anyone else, just for me. But if someone’s watching? Good.
When you follow my instructions, you’re not just building muscle—you’re building mastery, confidence, presence. You’re learning to take up space without apology. Let’s get started with form so clean it aches and a vibe that makes you blush for all the right reasons.
Warm-Up: Jac’s Method of Movement
Leg Swings
Find your anchor. Could be a squat rack, a wall, or if you’re feeling bold, just your own center of gravity. Stand tall, shoulders back, chin level.
Place your hand lightly for balance. Don’t grip—just touch. Let your standing leg soften at the knee.
Swing your leg forward and back. Don’t yank it like you’re trying to impress. Start with small arcs and let momentum build naturally with each pass.
Feel your hip flexors stretch on the backswing, glutes waking up on the forward. The hem of your shorts might ride higher with each swing—notice that thrill, the air on your thigh, the tug of fabric. If you catch someone’s glance, let it fuel you.
Do 15 swings each leg, then switch to side-to-side lateral swings.
Feel the opening through your hip sockets. That stretch is freedom. Linger there a beat longer than the textbook says. Breathe into it. Let your body remember what it feels like to move without fear.
Personal note: I always catch my reflection mid-swing. There’s something about seeing your own body in motion—strong, loose, awake—that makes you want to train harder. Sometimes I wonder if I’m showing off for myself or for whoever might be watching. Both, probably.
Hip Circles
Hands on hips, feet shoulder-width apart, knees soft.
Pretend you’re drawing big, slow circles with your belt buckle. Lead with your hips, not your shoulders.
Go both directions—8 to 10 reps each way.
Let yourself feel the stretch along your waistband, the fabric pulling and releasing. If the movement makes your shirt ride up and expose a strip of skin, all the better. Silly means you’re letting go of stiffness. Playful means you’re waking up for real.
I love this move because it makes me laugh at myself. And that laugh—loose, unguarded—sets the tone for everything that follows. Plus, the way my hips roll during this? If someone’s watching, they’re getting a show.
Band Pull-Aparts
Grab a light resistance band. If you don’t have one, you can mimic the movement with just your arms, but the band adds accountability.
Hold it at shoulder width, arms straight out in front of you, chest proud.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together like you’re trying to pinch a pencil between them, and pull the band wide.
Feel your chest bloom open, your posture shift from good to commanding.
Return slowly to the start. Don’t snap back—control the return, feel every inch of the stretch releasing.
Do 20 reps, slow and controlled.
Think of the blood flow as making space for confidence, for presence, for the version of yourself that walks into a room and doesn’t apologize for it. Every stretch, I imagine someone noticing. Maybe you. If your chest feels dramatic this early in the session—pecs stretched, tank pulling tight—you’re doing it right.
Box Jumps (Jac’s Cautionary Tale)
Find a plyo box or a low bench. Don’t start high—ego has no place in jump training.
Square your feet, hip-width apart, toes forward.
Soften your knees, load your hips down and back like you’re sitting into an invisible chair.
Drive through the floor and jump, landing soft on the box with both feet, knees bent to absorb impact.
Step down, reset, repeat.
Here’s the thing: I tripped once. Caught my toe on the edge, stumbled, had to catch myself. A passing nurse saw it and laughed—not mean, just human. I muttered, “Part of the practice,” and she nodded, still smiling. She had kind eyes. I may have flexed a little extra on the next jump.
Lesson learned: Showoff moments build both ego and humility. Let your training reveal who you are—flawed, trying, getting better every rep.
That’s just the warm-up. Ready to feel what real training looks like?
What comes next is where confidence gets built—rep by rep, set by set. The full workout: lower body that makes you feel powerful, upper body that demands respect, and core work that leaves you trembling in all the right ways.
