, Author at Allison Tenney Fitness

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You don’t need the perfect plan. You need an ada

You don’t need the perfect plan.
You need an adaptable one.

🧠 Your brain isn’t wired for perfection… it’s wired for protection.
So when you’re exhausted or overwhelmed, it looks for the easiest way out (Netflix and wine, anyone?)

It’s not that you don’t care or are lazy (you’re not).
It’s that your brain is trying to keep you safe by conserving energy.

But consistency doesn’t come from all-or-nothing thinking.
It comes from learning how to pivot when life gets lifey.

When you scale the workout instead of skipping it, you send a powerful message 👉 “I’m someone who follows through. Even on the messy days.”

That’s not failure. That’s adaptation.
And that’s the kind of proof your brain needs to build real, lasting consistency.

🤓 Your HW:
Look at your plan this week. Circle one workout you know might get pushed aside.
Now adjust it… make it shorter, lighter, or simpler. Then follow through.
Small pivot. Big win.

🐺 My new mini-course, The Inner Den: Mindset before Movement, drops May 19.

💙 It’s built for real life, messy days, and women like you who are done with the all-or-nothing spiral.
Stay tuned—it’s going to change how you approach your fitness for good.

The wild part about fitness? There’s no finish l

The wild part about fitness? There’s no finish line. You hit a goal… and then you keep going.

Because it’s not just about one milestone.
It’s about showing up for yourself over and over, even when it’s hard, boring, or inconvenient.

Yes, I cry on the way home sometimes.
And yes, I’ll be back tomorrow 👀

The RFE split squat is a movement I program a lot… and for good reason 💀😈💪

It’s single-leg strength, balance, mobility, and stability all rolled into one.

And depending on how you set it up, you can shift the focus to your quads or your glutes. Here’s how:

Want more glutes?
🔹Slight forward lean
🔹Step farther from the bench
🔹Push through the heel
🔹Drive the knee back, not straight down

Want more quads?
🔹Upright torso
🔹Step closer to the bench
🔹Push through the ball of your foot
🔹Drive the knee forward over the toe

Small tweaks = big changes in what muscles you’re loading.

📌 Save this for your next lower body day

🐺 If you’re done guessing your way through strength training and want a program that builds real progress (without demanding perfection), The Den gives you the structure, support, and self-trust to train with purpose.

📆 Next training cycle starts June 2

Welcome to the corner of the internet where snot r

Welcome to the corner of the internet where snot rockets and tomato faces are just part of the deal.

This is a space for women who care deeply, train hard, and don’t have time for perfectly curated crap.

🐺 Hi! I’m Allison (@allisontenney), a strength coach with over 17 years of experience helping Division 1 athletes and women build next level strength through sustainable and effective coaching programs.
⠀
💙 You’re gonna want to hit FOLLOW and get all the tips for building and maintaining muscle through a progressive strength and conditioning programs when you are 35+.

📆 My signature program, The Den, opens June 2!

Call it stubborn, willpower, determination… I ca

Call it stubborn, willpower, determination… I call it spite. And it fuels my dark soul 🖤😈 jk but only kinda 🤣

Where all my Millennials at 🥹 This song smacks

Where all my Millennials at 🥹

This song smacks me right in my feels.
But now we are older, wiser… better.

If you’re in the middle of it right now, between where you’ve been and where you want to be… keep going.

There’s no rush.
You’re right on time.

👉 Drop a 💛 if this also hits you in the gut (in the best possible way)

You don’t accidentally get your first pull up.

You don’t accidentally get your first pull up.

It’s a skill you train. And it takes time, intention, and a plan.

Pull ups are one of the hardest bodyweight movements you can do. Not because you aren’t strong, but because most training programs don’t actually teach you how to build toward them.

They require upper body strength, grip endurance, shoulder stability, and full-body coordination. If they’re a goal of yours, they can’t be an afterthought.

In the video, I’m showing a simple way to add weight to your pull ups, no belt or vest needed. Because once you can do a few solid reps, the next phase is building even more strength and control under load.

But if you’re just starting out? Start below the bar and build from the ground up.

Here are 5 exercises I program inside my training program, The Den, to help women earn their first pull up (and keep progressing):

✅ Dead hangs – build grip strength + shoulder integrity
✅ Scap pulls – train shoulder control and retraction
✅ Lat pulldowns – target the primary pulling muscles with load
✅ Negative pull ups (or Isometric Holds) – build eccentric control and confidence in the different positions on the bar
✅ Inverted rows – reinforce pulling mechanics + core engagement

You don’t have to “try harder.” You just need a better strategy.

🐺 The Den opens June 2.

#strengthandconditioning #strongwomenlifteachotherup #onlinefitnesscoach #onlinefitnessprogram #strongwomen #onlinefitness #pullup

This is the skill set most fitness programs don’

This is the skill set most fitness programs don’t teach. Because it’s not just about missing a workout… it’s about what happens after. Do you spiral? Judge yourself? Scrap the whole plan?
Or do you pivot?

Here’s HOW to build that skill ⤵️

1️⃣ Name what’s real. Missed a workout? 👉 Ask: What actually got in the way? Stress, logistics, unexpected chaos? Naming it keeps you in curiosity—not judgment.

2️⃣ Decide your next doable move. Instead of trying to “make up” a missed session or go all-in tomorrow, ask: 👉What’s one thing I can do today that supports my movement goal? (Maybe it’s a walk, 10 minutes of strength, or resetting your plan for the week.)

3️⃣ Drop the moral math. You didn’t “fail” because life got lifey. Let go of the guilt and all-or-nothing thinking. 👉Your consistency is built by what you do after the mess—not avoiding it altogether.

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to practice pivoting.

🧠 Want to build the mindset that actually helps you stick with it… especially when life is Lifey?

💙 My new mini course “The Inner Den” gives you the tools to do just that.
 📆 It drops May 19!

These two stories broke something open for me. A

These two stories broke something open for me.

A father brings his young daughters on stage, tells them to show their abs to earn a reward and calls it “discipline.”

A white woman screams racial slurs at a 5-year-old Black boy and is rewarded with over $700,000.

And if you’re only outraged by one of these stories, or think they aren’t connected, I need you to pause and ask: why not?

Because this is what systems of oppression do. They show up in different ways, wear different masks. But the root is the same: control, dominance, and dehumanization.

This isn’t a call-out. It’s a call to see more clearly.
 To recognize that the fitness world isn’t separate from any of this. That our culture rewards harm when it’s dressed up in whiteness or discipline.

We need to do better. Not just in how we speak, but in how we see.
 Because you can’t change what you won’t name.
“You stand for what you tolerate”

The same but different 😉 Want to train power?

The same but different 😉

Want to train power? But Olympic lifts scare you? You don’t have to do Olympic lifts to train power.

Olympic lifts takes time, skill, and reps to master. They are a great tool—but not the only one.

🏋️‍♀️Power Clean:
🔹Push through the floor to generate force from your legs.
🔹Keep the bar close—it should brush the thighs, not swing out.
🔹Snap the elbows through fast to catch strong in the front rack.

But you don’t have to use a barbell to train explosive power.

The goblet clean is a great progression that still hits triple extension, coordination, and control—without the technical demands of the Olympic lifts.

💪Coaching cues I use:
🔹Snap the hips
🔹Keep the bell close to your centerline, not swinging out.
🔹Catch softly in the goblet position, elbows tight to the body.

Olympic lifts have their place.
So do kettlebells and dumbbells.

It’s not about one being better than the other.
It’s about knowing what your body needs right now—and progressing with purpose.

No over explaining No people pleasing No “perfo

No over explaining
No people pleasing
No “performing niceness” to keep the peace

Call it rude. Call it selfish.
I call it peace of mind and protecting my energy.

You’re not here to shrink, soften, and be endlessly available.

You’re not mean - you’re just unavailable for bullsht.

And let me tell you - it’s freeing.

Pistol not pistoling? 😮‍💨 Whether you’r

Pistol not pistoling? 😮‍💨

Whether you’re chasing athletic performance or just want your knees to stop complaining on the stairs, single-leg work matters.

The pistol squat is of the most advanced single-leg movements out there and it takes time to build.

👉 Start with a box.
Using a box shortens the range of motion, gives you a target to hit and the comfort of knowing you won’t crash on the floor. It helps you focus on building the control it takes to perform this exercise. It’s not a shortcut—it’s a smart step in the progression.

Strong doesn’t mean rushing.
Strong means scaling. Practicing. Repeating.

Stick with it and your body (and brain) will get better at the movement, rep by rep.

Tag a training buddy and start with the box.

Funny how the older I get, the less nonsense I tol

Funny how the older I get, the less nonsense I tolerate 🖤

Sometimes the most powerful flex is knowing you don’t owe anyone your energy.

Not every battle is worth fighting.
Not every comment needs correcting.
Not every moment calls for proving your point.

Holding your ground quietly hits different when you’re rooted in self-respect, not the need to be right.

I admit it. I skip warm-up sometimes 😬 But eve

I admit it. I skip warm-up sometimes 😬

But even if you’re low on time, a quick warm-up is always worth it.
Here’s why 👉 it primes your body for the movement you are about to do, increases blood flow, activates key muscles, and reduces your risk of injury… especially if you’re strength training or have been sitting all day.

When I’m in a rush, I keep it simple. Here are a few moves I always include:
🔹Glute bridges – wake up the backside so your hamstrings and low back don’t take over.
🔹World’s Greatest Stretch – opens hips, thoracic spine, and hamstrings in one go.
🔹Bodyweight squats with a pause – gets the joints moving and preps for loaded squats or deadlifts.
🔹Tall plank with shoulder taps into downward dog – lights up the core and stabilizers without being too intense.

You don’t need 15 minutes.
You just need to be intentional.

🐺 Inside my program, The Den - we always start with a mobility warm up before moving into our main lifts.

I will never shut up about the benefits of lifting

I will never shut up about the benefits of lifting heavy. It’s one of the most powerful things you can do for your health long term.

✔️ Increases bone density
✔️ Improves insulin sensitivity
✔️ Supports hormone health
✔️ Builds tendon and ligament strength
✔️ Preserves muscle mass
✔️ Boosts metabolic rate
✔️ Enhances nervous system efficiency

So when you see me coming, just know I’m gonna talk you into picking up heavier weights 😉🫶

If you haven’t added low-level plyos to your rou

If you haven’t added low-level plyos to your routine yet… you’re missing out. Or least you’re gonna need to watch your head doing this move 🤣😮‍💨

These quick, bouncy moves wake up your nervous system, improve coordination, and prep your body to lift heavier or move faster.

Bonus: They take like 30 seconds. Tops.

Start with:
🔹Pogo hops
🔹Line hops (double and single leg)
🔹Ankling (tiny fast steps)
🔹Skater bounds

⏰ When to do them:
Right after your warm-up, before lifting
How often: 2–3x/week
How long: 10–20 sec

Add them in as part of your warm up.
You’ll be bounding over garage laser lines without any issues. Promise 😉

Some of them might surprise you 😉 Wanted to kn

Some of them might surprise you 😉

Wanted to know which program of mine is the best fit for you? Comment QUIZ and I’ll send the link to take the 2 min quiz 🐺💙🫶

Everyone wants the answer to: 👉 “How do I get

Everyone wants the answer to:
👉 “How do I get started?” Or…
👉 “I’m just not motivated. Now what?”
Look, sometimes you just need to remember who the fck you are and act accordingly.

Maybe you don’t need the new program.
You just need to show up for the one you’ve been avoiding.

Maybe you don’t need more motivation.
Maybe you just need to set a timer for 10 minutes and begin.

Maybe you don’t need another podcast or book.
Maybe you just need to get quiet and listen to yourself.

Maybe you don’t need that cleanse detox.
Maybe you need to drink a glass a water and eat a vegetable.

Maybe you don’t need more information.
Maybe you just need to trust yourself enough to take the next step.

💙 Maybe you need some tough love and a reminder that you are powerful, brilliant, and capable. I know it’s easy to forget.

👑 Now straighten that crowd and proceed accordingly.

Deadlifts and squats should be non-negotiable in a

Deadlifts and squats should be non-negotiable in any strength training program.

These two lifts target different movement patterns and have completely different training goals.
If you’re not clear on how each works, you’re missing out on some serious gains.

👉Get your notepads out kids 🤓 you’re gonna want to save this 📌

Both movements are compound lifts, meaning they involve multiple joints and muscle groups. But the movement patterns, muscle recruitment, and mechanical demands are very different.

Deadlift = Hip Hinge
🔹The primary movement is at the hip joint
🔹Major muscles: glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, lats
🔹Builds strength through the posterior chain (back side), which is crucial for athletic power, posture, and injury prevention
🔹Trains the ability to create tension and lift from a dead stop (aka strength for everyday life)

Squat = Knee + Hip Flexion
🔹Involves more knee flexion, with hips and ankles also playing a major role
🔹Major muscles: quads, glutes, adductors, core stabilizers
🔹Strengthens the anterior chain (front side) and enhances lower body control and mobility
🔹Builds the kind of power you need for jumping, running, and stabilizing under load

Think of it this way:
Deadlifts teach you to lift and hinge.
Squats teach you to bend and brace.

It’s never an either/or.
It’s BOTH/AND

🖤☠️ you’re about to find out

🖤☠️ you’re about to find out

© 2023 ALLISON TENNEY

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About
Training
Wolfpack
Fitbiz
Blog
Podcast
Resources
What Wolf Are You
Pack Apparel
Contact

About
Training
Wolfpack
Fitbiz
Blog
Podcast
Resources
What Wolf Are You
Pack Apparel
Contact