This article was first featured in April 2019. I’ve made some revisions and the current version includes updated links for the 2021 session. Use the code RESTORATIVELIFE and save $20 of either a 6-week session, or the whole season.

Now that spring is in full swing and you’ve packed away (hopefully) the long johns and the heavy jackets, time to look ahead to summer adventures. This week I am featuring a spring training program called Summer Strong to guide you to have the most fun and be the most prepared to participate for all all kinds of activities this summer. The new session starts April 19, so don’t delay.

Now that things are opening up again, you may be considering what’s next? While we are all excited to get out and about again, I will continue to do my workout at home because it saves so much time. No need to pack a bag and travel to the gym and back. I’ve always liked working out at home starting with the videos in the 1980s and then moving onto DVDs and now it’s easier than ever with all of the recordings online. The Summer Strong program really showed me that virtual workouts can be more than maintenance and can offer a real progression in strength and capabilities. 

Click here sign up for Summer Strong

Sarah Histand is a personal trainer extraordinaire and mental health counselor. I met Sarah a couple of years ago and as a fellow health and wellness advocate, we hit if off right away. Soon after we met she started her online training programs just as I was in the process of an international relocation. It was perfect timing for me to give it a try as I was finding it challenging to maintain my usual workout schedule during the transition. I was also gearing up for a weeklong backpacking trek Sarah’s home state of Alaska and I needed to be prepared for hiking on Alaska trails while carrying a 15-20kg (35-45lb) backpack. I took a leap of faith that this program would be the answer and I stuck to the schedule. These three short workouts each week really paid off. When the time came, I felt so strong carrying my backpack and that really did made the week so much more enjoyable!

There are so many reasons that I love the Summer Strong program.

  • First of all, it focuses on functional fitness. For each of the moves in the workout, Sarah reminds us of a real life purpose. This literally came alive for me on the backpacking trip last summer. I had to step across water or up onto a rock with my pack on. I had practiced this in the workouts and been told specifically that this would prepare me for these situations. It was all amazingly seamless.
  • Secondly, Sarah is so inspiring and her energy is contagious. Her main job has been as a mental health counselor and she really brings that to the table in these sessions. Feeling sluggish or unprepared to carry on with the program? Sarah is full of insights and mantras to keep you on the straight and narrow and successfully follow-through with the six-week plan you set out to complete. 
  • And there’s more! In addition to the workouts each week, there are nutrition and mindset modules. Sarah shares practical tips that are both easy to integrate and flexible according to various dietary preferences.
  • There are tons of bonuses including exercises for specific strengthening such as ankles or wrists and partnerships with other leaders in fitness. 
  • Sarah is in Alaska and I started training with her from California. Now I’m in the UK and I have friends from all over working out “together”. It’s a fun way to stay connected with friends and family who don’t live nearby,
  • Finally, Summer strong is for EVERYBODY. Even if you tend to stay close to home and want build strength and add some more movement to your week. Through this series of workouts that can be done in a small space at home according to your own schedule, Sarah builds on unique personal mobility and there are plenty of modifications for all levels. I’ve done workouts from home a lot and consider in more maintenance than really making huge progress and to be honest, I had my doubts how much could be possible in an online program, but she is expertly shares variations from those just getting started in a fitness program to those who are looking for a greater challenge and everything in between. After participating her the winter Ski Babes program, I was stronger than ever before on the slopes.
  • Besides all of this great value, Summer Strong is FUN. You get a sticker chart with gold stars in the mail to track your progress and there are dance move rewards at the end of each workout. So, you’ll be ready to bust a move at the dance club after a long day of activities! New session starts on Monday, April 19,  so you can get started right away.
  • Use the code RESTORATIVELIFE and save $20 of either a 6-week session, or the whole season.
Click here to sign up for Summer Strong


If you’ve been thinking of getting back into a fitness routine, take a minute to see if Summer Strong will be good for for you. It’s just 35-45 minutes 3 times per week and you will be building up to be strong for your summer activities. I don’t know yet what in store this summer and how far I’ll be extending my adventures. Before the pandemic, Summer strong supported me to prepare for backpacking in Alaska carrying my gear along the way. In 2019 we were hiking, river rafting, and surfing in Costa Rica. It felt great to keep up with our 15, 17, & 19 year olds

Whatever you are preparing for and even if you just want to build your strength and work on extending your range of motion from where you are, I know this program won’t let you down. What are you preparing for?