Train with ALP
A weekly series that teaches one exercise at a time, with expert coaches from our community. Each episode is a short Reel, a swipe-through guide to the movement, and a class where you can try it with a coach.
The pull-up
The pull-up is the classic upper-body pull. From a dead hang, you set your shoulders, pull until your chin clears the bar, then lower with control. It trains the lats and upper back, with your arms, grip and core helping.
Monty’s cue: “Shoulders down, then pull.” Set your shoulders first, so your back does the work and your arms follow.
Coached by Monty of MoveWithMonty: first-class MSc in Biomechanics (St Mary’s University) and 13+ years in the fitness industry.
- How to do it, in three steps
- The muscles it builds
- Why learn the pull-up
- What to watch out for
- The Reel: Monty coaching your pull-ups
Small-group classes with Monty
- Tuesdays, 6:30pm: Solo60, Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch
- Wednesdays, 6pm: Solo60, Errol Street, Moorgate
- Thursdays, 6:30pm: Solo60, Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch
- Intro offer: 2 classes for £20 (bring a friend or take two yourself)
- Also bookable on ClassPass
- Small groups of 7 to 10, so Monty can give you individual attention
Coached by Monty
Thirty seconds on the bar: the three steps, then what to watch out for, with Monty coaching every rep. Tap for sound to hear his cues.
- Start from a dead hang“Long arms”
- Shoulders down, then pullElbows to your ribs
- Chin over, then lower slowly“All the way down”
Free trial assessment with Monty
A session built around you, your goals and where you are starting from.
DM us to bookThe back squat
The back squat is the classic lower-body lift. With the bar across your upper back, you sit back and down, then drive up through your whole foot. It trains the quads and glutes, with your core and back working to keep you upright.
This episode squats to a box. The box gives you the same depth every rep and a clear target while you learn. Monty’s cue: “Again, just tap.” Touch the box lightly, don’t sit down and relax, then drive straight back up.
Coached by Monty of MoveWithMonty: first-class MSc in Biomechanics (St Mary’s University) and 13+ years in the fitness industry.
- How to do it, in four steps
- The muscles it builds
- Why squat to a box
- What to watch out for
- The Reel: Monty coaching a working set
Small-group classes with Monty
- Tuesdays, 6:30pm: Solo60, Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch
- Wednesdays, 6pm: Solo60, Errol Street, Moorgate
- Thursdays, 6:30pm: Solo60, Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch
- Intro offer: 2 classes for £20 (bring a friend or take two yourself)
- Also bookable on ClassPass
- Small groups of 7 to 10, so Monty can give you individual attention
Coached by Monty
Thirty seconds in the rack: the set-up, Monty showing the movement without a bar, then a working set with his coaching. Tap for sound to hear his cues.
- Set up under the barBar on your upper back, hands just outside your shoulders
- Sit back and downFeet shoulder-width, chest up
- Tap the box“Then try to just tap it without sitting”
- Drive upThrough your whole foot to stand tall
Free trial assessment with Monty
A session built around you, your goals and where you are starting from.
DM us to bookThe bench press
Swipe or use the arrows. Tap a video to pause it. Slide 2 has Monty’s voiceover.
The bench press is the classic upper-body press. It trains the chest, the front of the shoulders and the triceps, and it’s one of the easiest lifts to track as you get stronger.
This episode follows Anthony’s road to a bodyweight bench: from 40 kg feeling hard a year ago to 80 kg, with a missed 82.5 kg that shows progress isn’t a straight line.
Coached by Monty of MoveWithMonty: first-class MSc in Biomechanics (St Mary’s University) and 13+ years in the fitness industry.
- How to do it, in five steps, with Monty’s cues
- The muscles it builds
- The road to bodyweight, one year on
- What to watch out for
- What a missed rep teaches you
- Bonus: the rest of the 1:1 PT session
Small-group classes with Monty
- Tuesdays, 6:30pm: Solo60, Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch
- Wednesdays, 6pm: Solo60, Errol Street, Moorgate
- Thursdays, 6:30pm: Solo60, Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch
- Intro offer: 2 classes for £20 (bring a friend or take two yourself)
- Also bookable on ClassPass
- Small groups of 7 to 10, so Monty can give you individual attention
The rest of our 1:1 session
The bench was the start. Here is the rest of the upper-body session from Anthony’s 1:1 with Monty: five moves covering back, shoulders and arms.
- Pull-upsBack and biceps
- Seated cable rowMid back and lats
- Seated dumbbell shoulder pressShoulders and triceps
- Overhead triceps extensionTriceps
- Barbell curlBiceps
Free trial assessment with Monty
A session built around you, your goals and where you are starting from.
DM us to bookThe Romanian deadlift
Swipe or use the arrows. Tap a video to pause it.
The Romanian deadlift, or RDL, is a hip hinge: the hips travel back, the knees stay soft and the weight stays close to your legs. It trains the hamstrings, glutes and back, and it scales easily from light to heavy.
Expert guidance from Monty of MoveWithMonty: first-class MSc in Biomechanics (St Mary’s University) and 13+ years in the fitness industry.
- What it is and why it is worth learning
- The muscles it builds
- How to do it, in five steps
- The common mistakes to avoid
Small-group class with Monty
- Tuesdays, 6:30pm: Solo60, Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch
- Wednesdays, 6pm: Solo60, Errol Street, Moorgate
- Thursdays, 6:30pm: Solo60, Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch
- Intro offer: 2 classes for £20 (bring a friend or take two yourself)
- Also bookable on ClassPass
- Small groups of 7 to 10, so Monty can give you individual attention
- 1:1 PT trial sessions available
General fitness information, not personalised advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, speak to a qualified coach or your doctor before trying a new exercise.