Krista Stryker

Why you should keep your workouts simple and a circus-inspired core workout

Hey there,

In my experience, most people overcomplicate fitness.

They’re always looking for something new and different, seeking out the next fitness fad that will finally get them into shape.

This usually results in a yo-yo exercise habit full of stops and starts. Unsurprisingly, this approach to exercise usually isn’t sustainable in the long run.

Working out doesn’t have to be so complicated. Stick to some variation of the basics:

  • Squats
  • Lunges
  • Push-ups
  • Pull-ups
  • Sprints/intervals
  • Flexibility/mobility
  • Walking

And you’ll be good.

Remember that ultimately, the best form of fitness is the one that you’ll do — not just today, but day after day, and year after year.

And if you do want some more variety, think about adding a new skill or sport to your athletic arsenal to keep things fun and interesting!

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On choosing to pursue your potential and how to get better at double unders

Hey there,

Ever since I was young, I’ve been obsessed with the idea of human potential.

As a kid, this meant I was always encouraging others to aim higher and pursue their dreams. As an adult, this has led me to pursue many of my own highest goals, including things like learning to handstand, write books, step into boxing ring, and most recently, learn jiu-jitsu.

If, like me, you’re also on a growth journey, I’d love for you to join the new course I’m helping to run, Transcend!.

Transcend! is an eight-week course helping you to live a more creative, meaningful, and fulfilling life based on the science of human potential. The brainchild of Columbia University psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, Transcend! Is grounded in the core principles of humanistic and positive psychology to help you build a life of meaning and purpose. I’m honored to be a part of the course as a head performance coach.

The course starts on July 3rd and runs for eight weeks. There will be LIVE weekly coaching sessions with me and our other head coach, over a dozen hours of on demand content, hundreds of awesome resources to help you on your growth journey, a really cool community, and so much more.

It’s a really special course and I’m so excited to be a part of it!

As Abraham Maslow said, “One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.”

If you’re interested in pursuing growth and your own potential, I encourage you to join us!

Find out more about the course and sign up here.

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Why believing in yourself matters and how to build up strength for push-ups

Hey there,

Before embarking on any new fitness journey, one thing is non-negotiable: you must believe your efforts will pay off.

This is true whether you want to be able to do a cool new skill like a handstand, build a consistent workout habit, or compete in an obstacle race.

The belief that your hard work and effort can make a difference is the hallmark of what psychologists call a growth mindset. The opposite, a fixed mindset, means you typically believe your abilities are set in stone, and there’s not much you can do to change them.

Why does believing in yourself matter so much?

For one main reason: if you start out believing that you can get stronger, faster, and more athletic, you’re much more likely to put in the time and work needed to actually make that happen. On the other hand, if you start out believing that talent is innate and there’s no point in even trying, you won’t put in the work, and you won’t make much progress.

Henry Ford had it when he said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — you’re right.”

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How to stay motivated to exercise and beginner handstand tips

Hey there,

People ask me all the time how I stay motivated to exercise.

I work out nearly every day, sometimes twice a day, most days of the week.

But the truth is, these days, motivation doesn’t play much of a role in whether I work out or not. I don’t wake up in the morning and decide whether or not I’m going to work out that day — I just know I’m going to. Exercise has become such a deeply ingrained part of my identity that motivation is no longer required.

I wasn’t always this way. It took time and experimenting to create an exercise habit that worked for my lifestyle. But I now look forward to my workouts more than just about any other part of my day.

My workouts are my time to get away from all the other stressors in my life and focus on values that are important to me, like the pursuit of self-mastery, lifelong learning, and health.

They’re key to my mental health and performance as well (as anyone who knows me has encountered, I get grumpy if I don’t get enough exercise).

Maybe more than anything, my workouts have become my time to play and learn. Yes, I still do my push-ups, pull-ups, and squats, but I also train handstands, kickboxing, and jiu-jitsu. I skateboard and shoot baskets. Movement has become a fun, joyful part of my life.

If you haven’t found your thing when it comes to exercise yet, keep experimenting!

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Letting go of limiting stories and a jump rope + resistance band circuit

Hey there,

We all have stories about ourselves that limit our growth.

Growing up, my story was that I was weak, cowardly, un-athletic, and that it was too late for me to change.

I held onto this story for a long time until I couldn’t anymore. I started to realize how much it was holding me back — and that the only way to grow into the person I wanted to be was to let go of it.

I started with baby steps, first taking small risks, then eventually, bigger ones. I began leaning into challenges instead of running away from them. Slowly, I let go of my story to create a new one.

We can all let go of our limiting stories and choose the growth option. All it takes is a little courage, belief in ourselves, and most importantly, a willingness to try.

Keep going.

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