114: Katie St. Clair on Strength Vs. Athleticism: How to Move Better, Not Just Lift Heavier
Strength vs. Athleticism: Why Lifting Heavy Isn't Enough (And What to Do About It)
Discover why strength and athleticism aren't the same. Learn how to move better, fix compensation patterns, and build true athletic ability with expert coach Katie St. Clair.
Ever crushed a heavy deadlift but felt like a stiff robot trying to play with your kids? You're not alone and you're definitely not broken.
In episode 114 of BROADS, we sat down with Katie St. Clair, strength coach and founder of Empowered Performance, to unpack why being strong on paper doesn't always translate to feeling athletic in your body. Spoiler alert: there's a massive difference between lifting heavy weight and actually moving well and most women are missing the latter.
If you've ever wondered why your body feels disconnected despite your strength gains, this conversation is for you.
The Strength vs. Athleticism Gap: What's Really Going On?
Here's the truth bomb Katie dropped: you can be strong and still move like crap.
Strength is your ability to produce force , think: how much you can squat or deadlift. Athleticism, on the other hand, is about control, coordination, and how efficiently your body moves through space. It's the difference between grinding out a heavy lift and flowing through movement with ease.
So why do so many women lift heavy but don't feel athletic? Katie breaks it down to compensation patterns that sneak into our training. When we prioritize load over quality of movement, our bodies find workarounds and those workarounds create dysfunction.
The Most Common Compensation Patterns in Women
Katie highlighted two major culprits she sees constantly in female lifters:
Hip hiking - When one hip lifts higher than the other during movement, creating asymmetry and instability
Low back arching - Overextending through the lumbar spine instead of using proper core control
These patterns don't just limit performance, they're why you might feel chronically tight, sore, or "off" even when you're training consistently.
Ribs Over Hips: The Foundation You're Probably Missing
One of the most valuable concepts Katie shared? Ribs over hips positioning.
Think of your ribcage and pelvis as two stacked boxes. When they're aligned, your core can function optimally and you can breathe properly. When they're not, when your ribs flare forward or your pelvis tips, everything downstream gets messy.
This misalignment is the root of so many issues: poor breathing mechanics, back pain, weak core engagement, and yes, that clunky feeling when you move.
Katie's advice? Fix this foundation before you add more weight to the bar. Because loading dysfunction just creates stronger dysfunction.
Breathing: The Secret Weapon You're Ignoring
Here's something most of us don't think about: breathing is the foundation of everything.
Katie emphasized that proper respiration isn't just about getting air into your lungs, it's about using your breath to create intra-abdominal pressure, stabilize your spine, and coordinate movement. When you're chest breathing or holding your breath incorrectly, you're robbing yourself of core control and athletic performance.
The fix? Learn to breathe into your belly and sides, maintain that ribs-over-hips position, and integrate breath work into every rep you do. It sounds simple, but it's a game-changer.
Katie's 5-Minute Drill That Beats a 20-Minute Warmup
Want a quick win? Katie shared her go-to five-minute drill that creates more mobility and motor control than most lengthy warmup routines.
While she didn't spell out every detail in the episode description, the principle is clear: quality over quantity. Focused, intentional movement prep that addresses your specific compensation patterns will always trump mindless stretching and foam rolling.
The key is identifying your movement gaps and drilling them consistently, not just going through the motions.
Rebuilding Trust in Your Body After Childbirth or Injury
For women who've been through pregnancy, childbirth, or injury, Katie's perspective was especially powerful: it's about rebuilding trust in your body.
Post-pregnancy, many women feel disconnected from their bodies. Things don't move the same way, core control is compromised, and there's often fear around what your body can or can't do.
Katie's approach focuses on re-establishing that mind-body connection through intentional movement patterns, proper breathing, and gradually building confidence. It's not about rushing back to heavy lifts, it's about moving well first, then adding load.
Katie's Core Pillars for Building Strength AND Athletic Ability
So how do you train to be both strong and athletic? Katie outlined her core pillars:
Biomechanics and anatomy understanding - Know how your body is designed to move
Respiration - Master breathing as the foundation of movement
Movement quality before load - Earn the right to add weight
Creative thinking - Individualize your training based on your body's needs
Consistency over perfection - Show up, do the work, adjust as needed
This isn't about following a cookie-cutter program. It's about understanding your body, addressing your specific patterns, and building a movement practice that serves you long-term.
The Bottom Line: Move Better, Not Just Heavier
If there's one thing to take away from Katie's wisdom, it's this: your body deserves to move well, not just move weight.
Strength is important. We're not saying to abandon your heavy lifts. But if you want to feel athletic, capable, and connected in your body, you need to prioritize movement quality alongside strength development.
Start by assessing your movement patterns. Get honest about your compensation strategies. Work on that ribs-over-hips position. Practice breathing. And remember: the weight will always be there when you're ready for it.
Your Turn
Have you ever felt the disconnect between being strong and feeling athletic? What movement patterns are you working on right now? Drop a comment below and let's chat, we'd love to hear what resonated with you from this episode!
Ready to dive deeper? Listen to the full episode with Katie St. Clair and follow her on Instagram @katie.stclair.fitness for more movement wisdom.
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