Julie Cowley
PREVIOUS PLANS
May review - Julie has shown fantastic commitment and progress throughout her May weight training plan. This month, she focused on building strength and stability in her feet and ankles, which has noticeably improved her balance. She also maintained the impressive shoulder strength she developed in April, continuing to press with 10kg dumbbells in each hand – a steady progression from the 9.3kg she was lifting previously in Barbados. Bravo, Julie!
March review - March was all about building strength and mobility through the hips and upper body, and Julie made excellent progress. A key focus was on strengthening and lengthening her hip flexors—through a combination of Pilates, gymnastic-style drills, and targeted exercises like Bulgarian split squats, she improved both control and extension in this area. We also concentrated on glute strength, supporting her overall lower body stability and power. In the upper body, the introduction of Zottman dumbbell curls proved particularly effective for developing wrist stability and strengthening her forearms—an area that can often be overlooked but is essential for balanced strength. Julie approached each session with focus and curiosity, and her efforts paid off in visible, well-rounded improvements.
In December, Julie’s main goal was to stay consistent with her weight training sessions throughout the festive season—and she did a brilliant job maintaining her routine during a busy and often disruptive time of year. Despite the holiday commitments and changes in schedule, she showed strong discipline and stayed focused on her training. Her consistency helped her maintain strength levels and stay connected to her goals, making it much easier to transition smoothly back into structured programming in the new year.
April review - April was a key month of focused development for Julie, as she took on a time under tension training approach. This method really helped her refine and perfect her form, allowing her to slow down and bring more awareness to each movement. One standout improvement was in her Bulgarian split squats—specifically in achieving greater hip extension, which translated into better control and alignment throughout the exercise. Alongside this, we placed an emphasis on spinal extension, particularly targeting the thoracic spine. Pilates-based movements like the Rocker and Swan played an important role in helping Julie increase mobility and strength through this area.
January + February review - After a break and some solo workouts in December, January and February were all about rebuilding consistency and easing back into a structured twice a week training routine. Julie returned to online training with a positive mindset and quickly regained momentum. Our main focus during this period was overall strength with an emphasis on her shoulders to support gymnastic ring training.