About the Author — Coach Alex Turner

I got into strength training by accident. I was a runner — competitive enough that I was training 45-50 miles a week — until a stress fracture in my left shin stopped me cold at 28. Fourteen months of no running. That recovery period is where I discovered resistance training, and where I realized I’d been thinking about fitness almost completely wrong.

I got into fitness coaching not because I planned to become a trainer, but because I wanted to understand the science properly. What I found was that most of the fitness advice I’d been following — the “just run more” mentality, the endless cardio, the fear of heavy weights — was producing worse results with more injury risk than the alternative. So I started coaching, and I’ve been doing it for 10 years now.

What I Actually Believe About Fitness

Most people overtrain cardio and undertrain strength. That’s my honest read after a decade of working with clients at every level, from total beginners to competitive athletes. The supplement industry is largely a scam — I’ve watched clients spend $200 a month on things that move the needle maybe 3-5% in the best case. And “no pain no gain” is responsible for more injuries than it is results.

What actually works: compound movements, consistent progressive overload, enough protein, and sleep. Not very exciting. But many of the clients I’ve coached long-term have told me the biggest shift was realizing how simple it actually is once you stop chasing the complicated version.

Credentials

• — National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer
• nutrition researcher
• 10+ years coaching clients online and in-person
• Former competitive distance runner
• Certified in corrective exercise and movement screening

How I Write on AuraFit Guides

I write the way I coach — direct, occasionally blunt, and focused on what actually produces results rather than what sounds impressive. I try every trend I cover (I’ve done 75 Hard, I’ve used a Peloton for three months, I’ve tested cold plunge recovery seriously). If something doesn’t hold up, I’ll tell you. If the expensive version isn’t worth it, I’ll tell you that too.

Every article on AuraFit Guides is written or reviewed by me. I don’t outsource articles and I don’t publish things I don’t stand behind.

Questions or feedback? Reach out here →