NEW CLASS - Women's Conditioning Foundations

Join Omega Josephs for this 6-week pop-up class on Saturdays at 11am starting April 19th!

Build Power, Endurance & Resilience!

Looking to take your lifts to the next level? Conditioning Foundations is the perfect complement to your strength training class, or if you are new to lifting, this is a great place to start. This 60-minute workout is designed to enhance strength, stability, and endurance through functional, movement-based training. This class will reinforce the mechanics behind your foundational and compound lifts, while improving mobility, core control, and explosive power. Expect dynamic drills, strategic strength-building movements, and a supportive environment that will push you to feel stronger and more confident under the bar. Join us and level up your training—one rep at a time!

Space is limited to 6 participants. We keep classes small so that our clients get the most attention.

What is FRC?

Every Thursday at 12:15pm, Brenna Backe hosts an FRC class in the Koa Fit Studio. Most of the participants are there every week as they can feel the difference in their bodies instantly from this practice. FRC stands for Functional Range Conditioning and uses specific movements to create more mobility and stability at the joints. Instead of focusing on lengthening or strengthening muscles, FRC narrows in on the joint itself.

Brenna found this practice because she knew there was something missing. She did all of the foam rolling, stretching, and corrective exercises, but still felt her motion was limited. FRC proved to be the answer she was looking for. In a matter of weeks, her movement became more fluid, less restricted, and experienced less tweaks and pain. Because of the increase range, she was also able to lift heavier, in deeper and bigger ranges of motion, which lead to better performance in her activities like cycling and gardening.

The science behind FRC is sound. Here is the start to some explanations of why and how it works.

What does FRC do?

In FRC, there are 3 main goals - mobility development, joint strength, and body control.

Mobility Development - You can’t move or strengthen where you can’t move. If you are a person that lacks the movement and range of motion you need to perform and move about life, then addressing this deficit becomes top priority. Mobility in this sense refers to the amount of usable range of motion you have in your joints.

Joint Strength - During the mobility development, we are strengthening the joint as we expand our range of motion. By doing this, we create usable range of motion that is as strong as it is mobile. Joint pain is either brought on by someone going beyond their movement range and stressing the joint, or by someone having too much range, and not enough strength in that range, to have control over a motion. FRC addresses both of these issues by creating the range and then immediately following it up with strength work for that specific range.

Body Control - The result of training with FRC is better body control. By doing joint specific training, we teach ourselves to “uncouple” movements and decrease compensation patterns. We train our bodies to move specifically and our joints will move more freely without being held back by our compensation patterns.



How Does FRC Improve Mobility and Function?

1) Space Cultivation - Certain exercises, like the CARs, are used to maintain the space already in the joint or improved in the joint by other training in the class. Step 1 in this practice is to keep the mobility you have, learn how to control it, and build upon it.

2) End Range Work - End range work is used to increase our range of motion and then strengthen and activate that range so that is usable. Passive stretching increase flexibility, but if it is not followed by strengthening work, we have just created uncontrolled space. This is a liability and anyone who is hyper-mobile has experienced the repercussions of having range of motion without the control or strength.

End Range work not only helps us control our full range of motion, it also increases overall strength. Strength in any range is on a bell curve, meaning we are strongest in our mid-range and weakest at our end-ranges. However, if we improve our strength at the end range, we improve the strength of the overall range. So we get the added benefit of more range while we train for more strength.

3) Full Range Work - We wrap up the FRC work with full range work to achieve coordination and control of the new range with the old, to maintain the strength and range we have created, and to move into any performance specific strengthening and training work we may need for our lives or sport.


Why Joint Specific Training?

Afference is the brains ability to receive signals from the body. In other words, it is how your brain knows what size and range of motion your shoulder has. When we train specifically at the joint, we are tapping into our central nervous system, and this afferent feedback, and mapping or re-mapping our brains to the movement we have within our joints. This is why most FRC participants feel results immediately after class compared with just stretching. It is a faster and more efficient way to gain the range of motion you need.


More answers will be added in the coming weeks. If you are interested in FRC, Brenna hosts a live class every Thursday at 12:15pm at Koa Fit Studio.

If you are unable to join us on Thursdays, peruse our online library and select “FRC” from the dropdown menu to try some things on your own. Start with the full CARs routine to test your starting range in each joint.

Goal Setting Workshop - Using Your Values as a Guide

Thursday, January 30th at 5pm with Brenna Backe

Let's plan our year and establish our goals using our core values as a guide. Goals are the roadmap from where we are to where we want to be. Without them, it is easy to get lost and distracted.

We are natural doers, and rarely do we take the time to think about what we are doing and if it is leading us in a direction that we actually want to go. This is leads to all action (and work) and no gain (or maybe gain we don't particularly want).

Join Brenna Backe for a roadmapping session. Using proven tools, we will explore our values and how they translate to what we want. We will also establish a timeline to achieve it, and a plan to do it.

Take the time to really think about what you want and explore how that will become a reality. 

Workshop is $10 with 50% going to the "I Have a Dream" Foundation of Boulder, CO.

Space is limited. Please reserve your spot by clicking below or email us at admin@koafitusa.com or call/text us at 720-428-8863.

Women's Lifting Community Meetup and Programming Clinic

Tuesday, January 7th at 6pm At Stride Lab in Boulder with Brenna Backe and Hope Whitman

Calling all women who lift or want to lift!

Join us fo a meetup and programming clinic at Stride Lab Boulder on January 7th at 6pm.

We’ve all heard that women should be lifting weights, but there are a few challenges:

  • The amount of information out there about what to do and how to do it can be overwhelming and confusing.

  • Using new equipment in a new environment can be daunting.

  • The fear of getting injured is real.

  • Without a community of support and friends, motivation can wane and it can be boring.

  • Developing a plan can feel time-consuming and tedious.

  • A lack of confidence can hold us back.

  • Trying something new and challenging is intimidating.

This hour clinic is designed to help you start, progress, or refine your lifting program. We will cover:

  • Establishing goals and/or benchmarks for your training.

  • How to start or refine your lifting program.

  • How to progress and get stronger.

  • What a program should include based on your needs and wants.

  • Nutrition for lifting.

  • Proper form and execution.

  • All attendees will receive 1 example week of free programming to get you started.


You will also meet like-minded women in your community!

This event is free, but please RSVP so we can prepare. Also, please cancel 12 hours in advance if you are not able to attend.

Hip Mobility and Strength Routine

A few months ago, we released the Low Back Stiffness Routines - Level 1 and Level 2. Here is a new routine to try that focuses on the hips. Our hips need both the range of motion to move properly and the strength to control and stabilize that range. This routine offers both. Great for everyone, but particularly necessary for my skiers, hikers, runners, and mountain bikers who demand a lot from their hips.

Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Free Event - Not All Strength Training is Equal

Saturday, October 19th at 10am

at Fleet Feet Boulder

Fast-twitch, slow twitch, speed work, strength work, conditioning work, mobility, neuro function, agility, balance, cross-training, etc, etc, etc.

The world of strength training can be so confusing and it can be hard to know what type of work can help you and your activities the most. What is the best way to get faster? Stronger? More agile? Recover from injury? The way you train - the load, the speed, the tempo - all of these change the response in your body. 

Join Brenna Backe, owner and trainer at Koa Fit Studio, for an hour workshop breaking down these differences. This interactive workshop will teach you what you should be doing for strength training based on your goals and needs. This workshop will be geared towards runners and walkers, but the information applies to all looking to use strength training to improve their health and fitness.

This workshop is being held in partnership with Fleet Feet Boulder and will take place at their Pearl Street store. Please RSVP in advance by clicking the link below.

New Weightlifting Classes Added

We know it has been hard to get into our popular weightlifting classes, so we have added 2 more to our schedule. Jon Manly and Hope Whitman will be teaching additional classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Take a look below for all available lifting classes.

Weightlifting Classes:

  • Monday at 12pm with Hope Whitman - Women-only

  • Tuesdays at 12:15pm with Jon Manly - Co-ed

  • Tuesdays at 4:30pm with Brenna Backe - Women-only

  • Wednesdays at 5:30pm with Hope Whitman - Women-only

  • Thursdays at 3:30pm with Brenna Backe - Women-only

  • Fridays at 2pm with Jon Manly - Men-only

These small group classes are limited to 6 participants. Please book in advance to reserve your spot. Click below, email us at admin@koafitusa.com or call/text us at 720-428-8863.

Low Back Stiffness Prevention Routine - Level 2

Now that you have been doing the Level 1 Routine for a couple weeks, It is time to move on to the Level 2 Routine. This program is rated Level 2 due to a few harder positions (being on hands and knees) and more aggressive core work. Give it a try, if you need to go back to Level 1, do what is best for your body. No equipment is needed for this routine, but a pillow is optional.

Intro to Macro Eating

Monday, April 22nd at 6pm

Counting macros can be an efficient way to reach your health goals. Whether it is weight loss, muscle gain, or sports performance, tracking your macros can make a big difference.

Join Brenna Backe for this 1 hour introduction to macro eating. During this workshop you will learn:

  • What macros are and how to identify them.

  • How to determine your own macros for your body and goals.

  • The importance of protein, especially as you age.

  • The pros and cons of macro eating and if it is right for you.

  • How to get started.

This workshop will be offered in-person at Koa Fit studio and online via Zoom (link below). This class is free and open to the community. Please invite your friends and family who may be interested.

Sign up by using the link below, or email admin@koafitusa.com.

Deadlift Clinic with Brenna Backe

Thursday, April 18th 5pm - 6:15pm

Want to start lifting heavier? Maybe you have not seen the progress you want with your lifts? Not sure if your form is helping or hurting your goals? Or maybe you have been intimidated to pick up a barbell? We got you.

Join Koa Fit Owner, Brenna Backe for a workshop dedicated to teaching, perfecting, and finding your perfect weight in the deadlift. Along with form and guidance on building up strength, we will also cover activation and mobility drills to help you get the most out of your lifting. 

This is open to men and women. All levels welcome and no prior lifting experience is required.

Spots are limited to 6. Please RSVP early. We require 24 hours notice for cancellation to allow us to open up the spot to our waitlist. Sign up by clicking below or you can reach out to the front desk at admin@koafitusa.com or call/text (720) 428-8863.

Workshop - $45

Men's Lifting and Mobility Class

Fridays at 2pm starting March 8th

Life comes at you fast. One of the best ways to keep your mind and body ready for whatever comes your way is maintaining and increasing your strength and mobility.

Join Jon Manly for this one hour class. You will learn the mechanics of conventional and functional strength training for increasing and maintaining strength, muscle, and mobility so you can continue to live your life to the fullest. Each week there will be a focus on a specific set of movements to put in your exercise tool box and we will expand your skill set each week. 

This class is open to all levels, no lifting experience required and everything can be modified. To keep everyone safe and to get the most out of the class, the class will be limited to only 6 people. Please sign up in advance to reserve your spot. We ask that if you need to cancel, please do so 24 hours in advance to allow us to open the spot to the waitlist. You must cancel at least 24 hours in advance to avoid being charged.

Lifting Class Packages:

4 pack - $140

Singles - $40

Free Women's Lifting Class - BRC Collaboration Event

Join us on March 16th!

A free class in collaboration with Boulder Running Company. 

Lifting weights is one of the easiest ways to keep and gain muscle, improve metabolism and coordination, improve bone health, and prevent against injury. Every woman should be lifting as part of their overall health routine. 

Join Koa Fit Owner, Brenna Backe for an hour lifting class just for women. Learn the basics while learning how to up the weight. 

Classes will be at 9am and 10:30am. Please sign up for only 1 class.

Classes are limited to 8 people. Please only sign up if you know you can make it as the space is very limited. Please cancel at least 24 hours in advance so that we can allow people from the waitlist to join.  For questions, please email Brenna@koafitusa.com

Free Injury Prevention Workshop - Knee Pain and Injury

At Boulder Running Company on Saturday, February 10th at 9am

Join Koa Fit owner, Brenna Backe, for a free injury prevention workshop focused on the knee. In this interactive workshop, you'll delve into the intricate details of what causes those nagging aches and discomfort, gaining insights into how to protect your body from harm. Through a blend of practical tools and targeted exercises, you'll equip yourself with the skills to both prevent and alleviate pain, ensuring your activities are not only enjoyable but also sustainable. You'll learn actionable steps on what to do next, so you can continue your activities with confidence and injury-free vitality.

This workshop is free and open to the community. Please invite your friends and family.

Free Injury Prevention Workshop - High Hamstring and IT Band Pain

At Boulder Running Company on Saturday, December 9th at 9am

Join Koa Fit owner, Brenna Backe for an injury prevention class focused on high hamstring, IT band, and other hip related injuries. In this interactive workshop, you'll delve into the intricate details of what causes those nagging aches and discomfort, gaining insights into how to protect your body from harm. Through a blend of practical tools and targeted exercises, you'll equip yourself with the skills to both prevent and alleviate pain, ensuring your activities are not only enjoyable but also sustainable .You'll learn actionable steps on what to do next, so you can continue your activities with confidence and injury-free vitality.

This workshop is free and open to the community. Please invite your friends and family. Please RSVP at the link below.

FRC Special Series - Foot and Ankle

Thursday, November 16th at 4:45pm

Join Koa Fit owner, Brenna Backe, for a FRC Mobility Special Series Class dedicated to the Foot and Ankle.

Lack of mobility and strength in our feet and ankles can lead to a host of problems from our feet to our low backs. If you walk, hike, run, or squat down, you will want this class.

Class is 1 hour and limited to 12 people. You may use your class pack for this class. You must register in advance. Please sign up by clicking below or call/text Nicola at 720-428-8863.

Free Injury Prevention Clinic at Boulder Running Company

Saturday, November 4th at 9am

Join Koa Fit Owner, Brenna Backe, at Boulder Running Company on Saturday, November 4th for a free injury prevention clinic focused on plantar fasciitis (heel pain) and achilles pain.

  • Learn the mechanics behind what causes the pain.

  • This workshop will be interactive with tools and exercises to help prevent and dissipate pain.

  • Actionable guidance and steps on what to do next.

The workshop is free and open to everyone (non-runners welcome too). Please sign up using the link below.

This event will take place at Boulder Running Company. 2775 Pearl Street, Boulder, CO 80302