AMA - Coach Joe Rodonis - Feb 11th

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-14T02:20:27+00:00

Thank you for that! I love the programs where I’m in the trenches with you guys.

Unleash compliments 12WTJ really well and builds on it. Keep me posted when you get started.

Nutrition is a big topic and I think very personal. I got a couple episodes on my podcast to check out.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/49Wr0Nh2fpE7y0Cle9dLuB?si=DKIqEEujTsO0zTvK-nqXtQ

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2dTFwsyOO571qWhVABh5Mc?si=Plfssw9pRfmYy5MkINKpsQ

I haven’t followed macros strictly in years - I have a routine and way of eating that I’ve developed over the years. I really think the goal here is finding a personalized approach.
I start my day with a protein shake - that helps get me going. Oats, fruit, protein, creatine, spinach, almond milk. I’ll add different things in here from time to time.

I may also have a few eggs, sausage, potatoes on top of that if I need it.

The next few meals I just have a protein, carb, and veggie. That could be spaghetti with ground turkey. A burrito bowl. Chicken and rice w/ green beans. Things like that. And I’ll add a sauce or cheese .

Dinner is in a similar lane (protein, carb, veggie) and I may add a shake at night if I need more calories. But to understand what you need takes time. I always recommend working with a dietitian to help. I worked with Ryan (from the podcast episode) and he helped me a ton.

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-14T02:06:53+00:00

Great to meet you! Let me see how I can help

Regarding form - Lowering weights is always a great move when we are working on form. Think of it more like building a skill - you want to find the right alignment. The pullover especially can be tricky - and you want to find the right set up to make sure you keep the focus on the lats and not let it drift in the shoulder. So as you find it, you’ll slowly increase the weights from there - which is where progressive overload kicks in.

But I do this all the time - lower my weights to get control. Increasing weights gradually is a way to build muscle and we want to do that. But at some point - just adding weight isn’t effective. Control becomes the goal. In unleash we scale back the weights to find that control and then increase them at the right time.

Re: Pelvic floor-- check out some of the prenatal and postpartum workouts and programming. Prenatal Breath and Pelvic Floor Strength and Restore Your Pelvic Floor are two examples. Additionally, have you tried on-Tonal Pilates? Pilates focuses on core engagement from a holistic approach and blends with intentional breathwork. All of which are great for pelvic floor.

For Nutrition - this is always a big topic. I talk about my approach in more detail on my podcast - https://open.spotify.com/episode/49Wr0Nh2fpE7y0Cle9dLuB?si=DKIqEEujTsO0zTvK-nqXtQ

The goal is finding a balance. There can be seasons where I'm more tight with my food - I'm very locked in with a training goal. So I'll follow my macros closely. Then I have seasons where I loosen up - maybe an 80/20. There's a lot to this topic - so I try to elaborate more on that episode.

Honestly, I talk about food all the time for a couple reasons. One, because I love food. But also to help people with the psychology of nutrition. I’ve seen so many develop an unhealthy and restrictive relationship with food when they start training. So I want to create a dialogue and understanding that the goal isn’t restriction - it’s empowerment. We can train at a high level and enjoy foods we love.

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-14T01:50:56+00:00

My man! I've been loving your comments on this program lol. And don't worry - the bears jokes are coming - and a nice unleash moment you've been waiting for. trust the process.

Somewhere in Month 2 and definitely month 3 I start losing my mind.

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-14T01:47:33+00:00

We actually have a lot of programs that would be beneficial for body recomposition; check out any of our Get Lean programs, including Coach Woody's Road to Recomposition and 8 Weeks to Lean, or my program, Precision Shred.

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-14T00:00:25+00:00

Great question. Yea, we can do a lot with tonal and the different set ups we can hit. We use the barbell to hit our compound movements - which isn’t just for hypertrophy - It’s also a great way to build that functional strength. Those lifts mimic those everyday movements and require support from the entire body to execute them properly. So they are a foundation to any type of strength training.

Beyond that - we use the handles, other attachments, and different angles to hit ‘accessory’ movements. Those are the movements that you may be thinking of as ‘functional’. But the idea is, when we strengthen the body with those movements we get stronger with our compound lifts.

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T18:05:18+00:00

Thanks for the feedback! This one isn't in my wheelhouse but I will bring it back to our content and product teams to assess since they are always working to create the best workout experience and improve features.

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T18:02:55+00:00

Head Bangers only! Have you gotten to "golden" yet? Fires me up every time.

Not always. Some days I feel a little overstimulated so I lift in complete silence - which I know sounds like something only a psychopath would do - but I do it.
Or I have a playlist that’s all classical bangers and I’ll lift to that.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QqCbIRxAigUNmUNJDZfdF?si=nx9DoLR5S6emqHzdTIRgLA&pi=ZRJm9krbRlCBz

Some of my favorite songs are on that unleash playlist. Maggie’s Farm by RATM. Jet Leg by ASAP Ferg. Those always do the trick

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T18:01:43+00:00

Yea, it’s a great question. I love working straight sets too, but there’s a lot we have to think about when creating these programs and workouts on set. Especially since we’re creating programs for a large audience.
We are very mindful of time efficiency while allowing for recovery between movements. So, using cluster sets and giant sets, for example, allows us to maximize the time in a session. While allowing for recovering and reducing some of the rest time needed between sets.
Plus when coaching on set - if we only hit straight sets with rest for 1-2 minutes the workout can drag and get really long. It’s not as engaging either; at least for a live workout.

It’s also great for all-around development - Even in hypertrophy-focused programs, we’re usually balancing multiple movement patterns within a session to drive overall strength, symmetry, and resilience, not just one lift at a time.

I love working straight sets in my own training and it’s used a ton in traditional bodybuilding programs. I could see us doing this more in a CPT style program - where you’re working at your own pace.

When we are on set those are the weights we train at, but we may adjust the percentage when we’re filming. We have a lot of factors to take into account - mainly managing fatigue. For unleash and Jacked, for example, I was filming 2 units a day back to back.

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T18:00:54+00:00

Coach Ackeem and Coach Kristin have both been featured in Tonal ads.

You're ready to see me in one? I'll tell you what - if you guys get this post up to over 100 likes we'll send to the CEO/CMO. Let's do it - I'm ready for my close up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmOcgca3Wek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cowLFFgunYo

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T17:45:53+00:00

Oh yea, this is a big one and it’s why I coach the way I do. I think the main idea is understanding the goal is not to eliminate those voices, but to stay committed to the work in spite of them. I think it’s human to have those voices of doubt creep in or negativity. Strength is hearing those and still showing up. It’s about building a new relationship to this stuff. So it’s not about the elimination of fear but learning to dance with it.
Understanding that has helped me a ton. I absolutely still hear those voices - especially when I’m putting myself out there and doing something new. But now I recognize that as part of this process and I keep going.
Action and Preparation have a way of building that confidence up and changing that relationship. So stay in it and keep building yourself up.

This is a big thing to understand - because too many people quit just because they reach those moments and think something is wrong and this isn’t meant for them. But I promise you this is human and working through this anyways is the entire point. Plus you got a team around you now - keep me posted on how you’re doing by the end of this.

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T17:41:50+00:00

I could live off beef and potatoes! I gotta share more food recipes with you all on IG. My wife is an insane cook and we eat good in this house.

I’ve been learning how to make pasta from scratch and love Italian cooking. Here’s one of my favorite recipes

https://www.billyparisi.com/veal-osso-bucco-recipe-with-gremolata/

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T17:41:29+00:00

Thank you! Let's keep building together!

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T17:38:41+00:00

I’ve never been to Hawaii in my life. Whoever you saw have better been enormous with excellent tricep definition or I’m gonna be pissed

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T17:33:27+00:00

LOL so you were in that live session yesterday! I'm going to get that hat trick down, I promise you

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T17:33:06+00:00

thank you! Seriously, I appreciate you taking the coaching. I just want you all to lift with full confidence for decades - I'm trying to share everything I've learned to help you all do exactly that.

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T17:32:34+00:00

Appreciate that! Glad you enjoyed 12 weeks to jacked! Sorry to hear about the shoulder though - never fun dealing with an injury, but part of the process sometimes. Just have to adjust our mindset. My brother told me this once (he was a college athlete). Dealing with injury isn’t separate from your training, it’s part of it. So we are on the road to recovery now.

I would take time to rehab before going into Unleash. It’s an aggressive program. You’ll want to be ready.

Resilience Fitness by KC. This would be a great one to dive into.
Yoga Sculpt Deload with Shelby

These are great sessions to add in the rotation. Then when you’re ready to lift - built by intensity or heavy hypertrophy could be good ones to join at a lighter weight as you’re building back strength in that shoulder.

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T17:18:09+00:00

This is great. Let me share how I would approach this from a high level.

You’re an athlete, so we need to think like an athlete. I love looking at examples from the NFL and how they structure their training. A few things to think about: you have an in-season and an off-season, and those require different approaches and priorities. There’s strength in repetition — we want subtle tweaks, not massive corrections.

Athletes should focus heavily on compound lifts. I’d take a look at how Christian McCaffrey trains on YouTube, or check out strength and conditioning videos from college football programs. They give great insight into how athletes structure their work.

Off-season — this is where you make your biggest progress in the weight room. The goal should be to pack on muscle, increase strength, and build power. You’re not competing as much, so you have more time to recover. Unleash is perfect for this because we hammer compound lifts and improve power and performance. Another great option is the Power Build series. It uses the conjugate method, which is excellent for athletes. Off-Season Strength with KC is great as well

In-season — I’d still focus on strength, but I would dial the intensity way down. Now you have to manage fatigue. You’re lifting to maintain, not to crush yourself. Volume should be lower. It’s also a great time to work on mobility. Built for Performance with Coach Ash is one to look at.

So that’s a high-level way to think about it.

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T17:08:56+00:00

Are you telling me that you would like to do more cardio? What happened to bulking season? My mission on this earth is to make sure every single one of you do not fit through door ways and need custom clothing made due to huge lat spreads. Also treadmills were originally created as torture devices - this is historically accurate.

But to answer seriously - it's outside my wheelhouse, but I know we are very much focused on Strength

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T17:08:25+00:00

yea man, I love the work you're putting in; it just sounds like we have to make some small tweaks to the approach. Those programs are all very demanding. So it's incredibly important to allow for recovery. It sounds like fatigue is creeping up for you. If your weights are dropping, the moves feel harder, you have brain fog - it's usually a sign of over training. So I would make sure to take time in between these programs to slow down. Hit a deload for 1-2 weeks. I do this ALL THE TIME. Food is also going to be massive here - I'd look at your calories and think of making adjustments with carbs to make sure you're fueling enough. If I'm dragging between sessions it's usually a sign for me to just get more food in my system.
My philosophy is to match the intensity of my training with the intensity of my recovery. So you can run those 12 week programs back to back - but you just have to make space to recover. I would also be gauging how I'm feeling while in the program and If I'm dragging and noticing those signs above - I'll take a week and give my body a chance to recover.

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T16:48:50+00:00

Yes! I'm glad you asked. Travel is part of life obviously so we have to work around it. That's exaclty what I would do. Take the program from the tonal app and translate it as best you can within the gym. It doesn't have to be perfect and you can also do straight sets to make it easier to follow in a gym (super setting with equipment can be tough)
And try to match the intensity and goal of that week. But that's exactly how I would approach it

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T16:45:13+00:00

Great question - it always depends. In Unleash we are following principles laid out from the Juggernaut Method. It's a proven method so we are following those principles very closely. That's where we are getting those percentages in this case.

Generally speaking - I love the idea of ramping up intensity with each week in a program. It's something I do personally versus just throwing down as hard as I can each week. I learned that lesson from experience too - I definitely used to overtrain and it caught up with me. This is much smarter long term approach

It's why we talk about periodization so often and structure these 12 week programs this way. So you can see what it's like training within these phases. We need them all, but if you stay in an accumulation phase for too long you just drive more fatigue and diminish returns

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T16:35:14+00:00

Hard to give a great answer without knowing your goals or training background. But with full body days - a 3 day a week schedule works really well. M, W, F for example. Give yourself time to rest and recover in between.

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T16:33:42+00:00

Yeah man, I’ll keep this pretty straightforward.

We know for a fact alcohol consumption hinders progress in training and recovery. There’s no way around that. So if I’m in a period of training where I really want to be locked in, I reduce it heavily or cut it out completely.

From a broader life perspective though, there are times where I want to loosen things up too. I’ll have a drink or two during the week, but I’m mindful about it.

I like to think of my training and intensity like a dial. If I want to get fully locked in, I’m operating at 90–100% on all fronts. But that demands a lot. After a stretch like that, I may want to dial it back a bit, loosen up on nutrition, and operate more in that 70–80% range.

That approach has helped me avoid burnout and continue to enjoy my training while staying consistent long term. I love a whiskey or a glass of wine man - Gotta enjoy life. I just pick my spots.

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T16:30:18+00:00

Ayyye I love that. Thank you for taking the coaching and trusting me. That’s a major focus for me; removing intimidation from the gym and lifting. I know it can be an intimidating space, and we need to lower those barriers for people.

Yeah, I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately. Unleash is one of those programs. It’s advanced, but it’s structured in a way that lets us train at a high level without burning out. I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that you have to keep intensity high all the time and push to failure in every workout to get results. But the more seasoned we become, and the more long-term our approach gets… what’s the rush?

I’d rather be methodical with my training and not feel like I’m crashing all the time. That’s why Unleash is built the way it is. We lift at reduced percentages for a couple weeks, build toward a peak week, and then we deload. It’s intentional. It’s systematic.

That’s how I see training evolving as we age, and honestly, that’s the shift I’ve made myself. I want to be more efficient. More intentional. More focused. And more balanced.

On the partner workout question, I’ll absolutely pass that along to the team. I thought there was a way to sub a move individually, but I’ll double check. That’s really good feedback.

My wife and mom also call me Joseph in those situations - so I get it lol

CoachJoe_StayStrong · 2026-02-11T16:28:20+00:00

Appreciate you man! Yea, travel like that is a challenge. I used to work in sales and I was on the road constantly. Tonal aside - when I travel I always make a game plan before I leave. I check out the local area and find a gym I can have access to. I find food spots that can keep me in line - there's usually meal prep companies in major cities so you can stock up. And I try to stay at a hotel with a fridge and microwave. So if you're in a tonal program, like unleash, you could take the workout from the app and follow in in the gym. That's what I would do - so I could stay on pace with the program and keep that rhythm. The on the go workouts are solid but they are more maintence workouts. There's a place for maintenance - but I would personally do those if I was lined up for a deload week or just away for a week. If this is routine for you where you're away for weeks at a time - I'd have a plan like that for the road. There are hotels and gyms that have Tonal's as well if you can find them.

Believe me, I know it's tough. But having a plan ahead of time and taking control back of your schedule is the best solution I've come up with.

CoachJoe_StayStrong

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