Back in May, I found Manuel advertising his Crescendo Challenge on Instagram. I was already working out from home, so I figured I should give it a try. Back then, I had to go to physiotherapy every month and a half or so, so that I could play without feeling pain or tension. That’s why our main goal at first was to gain endurance. We agreed on how many times a week I wanted to work out and on what muscles I wanted/needed to focus on. With that information, he prepared a detailed and clear plan for me to follow and explained to me every single detail. He was always available to help me clarify any questions that might arise. So we started the Challenge and, session by session, I started enjoying more and more working out and getting more into fitness. During the process, I lost fat, gained muscle mass, and much resistance. Now I don’t feel any discomfort playing and get through even the most demanding days without feeling any pain. I feel a lot better with my body and much more energetic overall. With this being said, I highly recommend working with Manuel! He is a great coach, very organised and flexible, who helps you through every step of the way, whether it's the technical aspects of a specific exercise or with your nutrition plan.

Welcome to the SHARP Games! 🥳 This will be a friendly competition inside the community, that will reward the TOP 3 members that engage the most each month. We are already a decent sized community, with more than 200 members. But engagement has been very low... By engagement I mean interaction in the community section: liking a post you enjoyed, comment on someone else's post, or replying to existing comments. Which is the main reason for this group to exist in the first place...! And that's why I will giveaway the following to the top engagers each month: 🥇1st Place: 1 Year SHARP Membership - That will include personalised workout programs and access to form-checks during the weekly Q&A calls (worth 234$) 🥈2nd Place: 30 minute Coaching Call (worth 97$) 🥉3rd Place: 15 minute Coaching Call (worth 47$) Places will be determined by the built in Leaderboard function. On Skool, engagement is measured by when someone likes or replies to a comment of yours; likes or comments a post of yours. Every action (like, or comment) gives you 1 point. By earning points, you also can level up, unlocking new courses and prizes! And that is exactly how we can support each other's growth, as a community. We need to like and comment whenever someone shares their wins, their obstacles, their questions... So that the community can give back! That's how we will grow, together. 🤝 Now, LET THE GAMES BEGIN!🔥🎶

Hello ! My name is Mary and I am a Singer songwriter, vocal and fitness coach, italian and living in Portugal ! I had the pleasure to work with Manuel earlier on and it has been a wonderful experience ! I am here to chat with you guys and share thoughts bout music and phisical exercises !

How many of you relate to this 😂? My meme should be me with my hand on my troath, mine ONLY 😁

This week’s Q&A focused on two major themes: how to prepare physically and mentally for demanding performance weeks, and how to keep making progress in strength training without letting technique break down. We discussed Dinis’s preparation for two upcoming concerts with the Gulbenkian orchestra, including Wagner’s Die Walküre and Lindberg’s Graffiti. These works bring some of the most intense demands a musician can face: fast tempos, complex rhythms, and physically exhausting passages—especially on viola. What came up in the discussion is relevant for many of you: - How do we stay resilient under extreme demands? - How do we manage stress, both physical and mental, when the music pushes us past our limits? - And how do we make sure that training supports performance instead of interfering with it? We also talked through key technical elements in strength training.Some of the takeaways include: - Progressive overload doesn’t mean rushing weight increases. It means increasing intelligently, without compromising technique. - Inverted rows and rollouts are incredibly effective for posture and core control, but only when executed with the right alignment. - Filming your exercises is one of the best tools to spot hidden inefficiencies — even if you think your form is fine. Several corrections were discussed that apply to many musicians: - Keeping the trunk flexed during Reverse Crunches - Adjusting bar height and grip for Inverted Rows to maintain scapular control - Managing fatigue across sets with smart load distribution (e.g. heavier first set, lighter second) Finally, we touched on something that’s often overlooked. Using training as a way to mentally reset before long rehearsals. For Dinis, a short gym session the day before a 6-hour rehearsal is less about gains, and more about clearing his head and getting centered. If you’re training alongside your practice, these insights can help you stay consistent and avoid the common traps, like rushing progress or compensating with poor form.