Train With Pain #21: We Retested 49 Members' Knees

Prioritise Yourself

We've entered the final few months of 2026. If your training lost a little momentum over winter, here's your reminder to get dialled back in.

"I'll start again next week."

"I've got a lot of work on this week."

Bullshit. Prioritise yourself.

There will always be a busy week. There will always be something else asking for your time. But your strength and health deserve a place in the diary too.

Making time for yourself can change how you feel, how you handle your day and the energy you have for the people around you.

You don't need a perfect week. Start by booking your sessions and showing up.

Build those bricks. They add up.

VALD: Our Knee Extension Data

If you've been through our medical before joining the gym, you'll probably remember pushing against our handheld VALD strength testing device.

That gives us a starting point: how much force you can produce, how one side compares with the other, and where we might need to focus your training.

Then we test again to see what's changed.

Nick recently reviewed our knee extension data across 49 participants, and there were some encouraging results:

Average bilateral force increased by 45.5 N.

The overall improvement was 22.2%.

Median asymmetry (the difference between sides) reduced from 10.0% to 6.1%.

Knee extension also had the greatest number of people starting with more than 15% asymmetry. That makes it a useful area to monitor, alongside your symptoms, movement and individual goals.

This is why I'm such a big believer in testing. Feeling stronger is great. Having numbers that help us track that progress gives us another piece of the picture.

You can listen to Nick discuss the results here.

We're Upgrading

We're investing in a new VALD ForceFrame to take our testing setup further.

It measures strength using sensors attached to an adjustable, fixed frame. You push against the sensor pads while holding a set position, and the system records how much force you produce. This is called an isometric test: you're working hard without moving through a repetition.

The fixed setup supports consistent positioning when we repeat tests. We can use it to measure different muscle groups, compare sides and track changes over time. It also allows targeted isometric training with live feedback on the force you're producing.

We'll be keeping it downstairs in a dedicated rehab and testing corner. Over time, we'll develop that space so it's easier to come in before class and complete the rehab work we've prescribed for you.

Better information to guide your training, and a proper space to get that work done. I'm excited about this one.

Our 5 Phase Train With Pain System

Our new brand video has arrived, and I'm really happy with how it's turned out.

In a sharp 75 seconds, it captures what we do, how we do it and the connection between our clinic and gym.

I love seeing the clinic space featured properly, alongside the training, coaching and people who make this place what it is.

And, of course, our wonderful models. Thanks again to everyone who helped. You've made us look very professional!

We'll now be using the video in our advertising so more people can see what we're building and understand how we can help them get back to training and keep progressing.

See how the five phases fit together on our gym page.

Movement Culture Opening Weekend

Last weekend, I headed down to Movement Culture's opening weekend to spend some time with the gym crew and chat with anyone who needed a little advice.

Opening a gym is a huge undertaking. There's so much work that happens before the doors even open, so it was great to see Mike and Steph celebrating that effort with their community.

A big congratulations to both of you. You've built a brilliant space, and we're excited to be part of it.

I caught up with a few members on the day and talked through some of the things affecting their training. There's a lot of crossover with our own community: people who enjoy being active, want to get stronger and need some support when pain or injury gets in the way.

That's exactly where we can help.

Danielle and I are currently working out of Movement Culture, and we're on the hunt for a physio or osteo to cover the rest of the week.

If someone comes to mind who would be a great fit for our team, send them our way.

HYROX Prep

Running is my main focus as I build towards HYROX in December.

There's plenty of work to do, and I want to give this part of my preparation the attention it deserves.

This session was brutal and it perfectly demonstrates what happens when you can't maintain a regular pace.

The goal was 3:50/km for 10 rounds. The first 5 rounds went well. The 6th round involved a little incline and I pushed too hard to hold onto the pace. Subsequently, it was a fight to hold onto that pace for another 4 more rounds. I was blowing!

I'll keep sharing how the preparation is going over the coming weeks. It's good to have something in the diary that gives your training a bit of direction!

Strength

My upper body took an absolute hammering from Monday's session.

Week 1 of the new block brought the fire. My biceps and upper back have been sore all week, and I'm pointing the finger firmly at that pull-up superset.

Ten strict pull-ups, with a one-second pause at the top and a two-second lowering phase, followed shortly afterwards by a max-rep set of underhand pull-ups.

I knew from set one that holding those reps was going to be ambitious.

I think my strict sets ended up at 10, 8 and 7. Brutal.

And if you were on the lat pulldown option, you weren't getting an easy ride either. I enjoyed hearing the familiar grunts as everyone worked through those final reps.

Why did we programme this superset?

The first exercise puts the focus on controlled pulling. The pause at the top and slower lowering phase make each rep demanding and give you less opportunity to rush through it using momentum.

We then follow it with another pulling exercise, adding more challenging work for the back and arms in a short amount of time. The hand position also put more load through the biceps.

The aim is to build the strength and muscular endurance that support your pull-up capacity. Your version might use bodyweight, assistance or the lat pulldown. The challenge should match where you are now.

The change in stimulus likely contributed to my soreness, but soreness itself isn't the goal. What we want to see over the block is better control, stronger reps and progress with the variation you're working on.

Still… getting my arms overhead this week has been interesting.

Saturday Fitness

Week 1 of our new six-week block brings a fresh format to Saturday conditioning.

We're still aiming for approximately 45 minutes of work during the hour, with the focus on building your aerobic engine and finding an effort you can sustain.

Settle into a rhythm, work at your level and aim to keep moving well throughout the session.

It was great seeing more faces there last weekend. If you've been thinking about joining us, get yourself booked in.

Remember, this class is free for members. Come and make the most of it.

Christmas BBQ

Save the date: Saturday 19th December, 10:30am.

We've now got the wonderful Rosetta Coffee coming to provide the caffeine!

We'll kick things off with a big class at 9:30am, followed by coffee at 10:30am and then get the BBQ going.

A chance to get a session in, spend some time together and celebrate the year with the crew.

Book your spot via 'Courses' in the app.

Chat next week,
Craig