Zakai Rehab

Getting the weight overhead is one thing. Feeling strong, stable, and in control once you’re there is another.

Whether you’re working on your strict press, push press, jerk, or just trying to feel more confident overhead, building stability is an important piece of the puzzle.

These are a few drills I come back to regularly:

🏋️ PVC work to dial in the position.
💪 Kettlebell presses to challenge control and expose side-to-side differences.
🔥 Landmine presses to build strength through a stable pressing pattern.

I use variations of these with both CrossFit athletes looking to improve performance and people working their way back from shoulder injuries. The right progression always depends on the person, but these are a few of my favorites.
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Heavy training weeks, especially with a lot of squatting or pulling, can leave your hips and spine feeling pretty stiff.

Add a desk job where you’re sitting for most of the day, and it’s no surprise those areas start to feel less than their best. The key is not waiting until you’re already stiff to give them some attention.

Even though I’m moving most of the day as a physical therapist, I still make mobility work part of my routine to help me feel good in the gym.

I like using bands because they provide feedback. They help me feel where I’m moving, making each stretch more intentional instead of just going through the motions.

This isn’t a complete mobility routine, just a few of the drills that I come back to regularly and have worked well for me.

What mobility drill is always part of your routine? 👇

People assume PTs just treat all day. Not here. Pull day “Roman Candle” style. Rope climbs, Gorilla Rows, the whole grind.

Good rehab doesn’t stay gentle forever. Done right, it starts looking like this, back to training.

📍 Zakai Rehab Vantage Movement
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I don’t think I can ever row the same again. 🇳🇴

🫁 Building your conditioning doesn’t have to mean doing the same boring cardio every session.

🏎️Your engine is your ability to sustain effort, recover between bouts, and keep moving without redlining too early.

🏃🏻‍♂️ I like using the SkiErg or running for longer steady efforts to build endurance, while the Assault Bike and rower are great for higher-intensity intervals.

Different tools, different training effects depending on how you use them.

That’s just my approach, and it can change based on the goal, the day, what you enjoy, and what you’re training for.

🚴🏼‍♀️ These same options can also be useful in rehab and return-to-training, helping to maintain or rebuild conditioning.

At the end of the day, the goal is finding a mix you enjoy enough to stay consistent with… even if your WOD still sneaks in your least favorite machine 😅

⛳️ Summer is in full swing (pun intended) and if you’re getting out on the course, this is for you.

A lot of my clients who lift, train, and play golf notice their shoulders feel tight going into rotation.

Here’s a quick warm-up you can do to help loosen up your shoulders and get your body feeling right.

Give 8-10 reps a try before your next round!

🔓 Ankle mobility can have a significant impact on your ability to squat, lunge, run, and really own your movement.

If your heels keep lifting, depth feels limited, or one side feels stiffer than the other, it may be worth spending some time working on your ankles. 👣

↩️ Start with the previous video covering the knee-to-wall test. If you couldn’t get your knee to touch the wall, give these drills a try.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to improve ankle dorsiflexion and help you get into deeper positions. 🏋🏽‍♀️

🔁 Perform 15–20 controlled reps.

Everyone responds differently, and you may find that certain drills work better for you than others. Be sure to retest your squat or knee-to-wall test afterward to see which one made the biggest difference.

Let’s cut through the hype: Cupping isn’t magic. It’s just a useful rehab and recovery tool.

🔵The most common question I get is about the marks it leaves behind. —those are just a normal side effect of the suction with marks lasting 3-7 days.

✨People will then ask what it actually does. While massage pushes down on muscles, cupping does the opposite—it uses suction to pull tissue away. This decompresses the area and creates space which can be relieving and relaxing.

😌For the athlete in this video, that decompression is especially effective for managing that stubborn shoulder tightness and restriction that sets in after heavy workouts. Placing the cups along the rotator cuff and between the shoulder blades helps her recover and bounce back faster.

🙆🏻‍♂️But because everyone responds differently, I always re-test your movement afterward. If it gives you a noticeable gain in your range of motion or fluidity, it stays in the toolkit. If not? We pivot to something else.

Have you ever tried cupping for recovery? Let me know your experience below! 👇
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📍 Find me at or tap the link in my bio to book your next session.
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Find the groove before finding the floor.

Thats my approach, but it’s not the only one!

What’s your strategy: settle into a rhythm or send it from the start?
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