The Vitalist Why Your Workouts Aren’t Working for Women: The Strength Training Fix You’ve Been Missing With Trainer Deanna Kane
Dr. Sera sits down with personal trainer and gym owner, Deanna Kane to explore how fitness becomes transformation when we learn to feel instead of force.
From bodybuilding competitions and punishing workouts that left her in dorsal vagal shutdown, to discovering breathwork, somatic healing, and nervous system-based training, Deanna shares her powerful journey of shifting from “muscling through” to connecting in.
Together, we unpack how to create safety in the body, why dissociation hides in intense workouts, and how mindful weight training can rewire trust, presence, and resilience. Whether you’re in the gym or navigating daily stress, this conversation invites you to stop overriding your body and start listening to it.
HIGHLIGHTS:
From Taco Bell to bodybuilding: Deanna’s first days in the gym and the pressure to look “always flexing.” (1:10)
The moment Deanna discovered her nervous system had crashed; she was in dorsal vagal shutdown. (4:39)
From “muscle through it” to “connect and be gentle”: how Deanna redefined training. (5:59)
Forget your device; here’s how to know if it’s a push day or a mobility day. (7:57)
Training vs. working out: the one shift that turns random sweat sessions into real progress. (10:08)
Becoming one with the weight and how a Joe Dispenza meditation cracked Deanna open to her body’s voice. (14:12)
Mind vs. body: the callout that taught Deanna to feel instead of think. (14:57)
Movement reveals emotion: how she can tell if you’ll miss a lift before you touch the bar. (16:59)
When the weight scares you: mantras and mindset to move beyond your limits. (17:59)
Plugging energy leaks: how foot-to-head body scans generate more power in every lift. (20:46)
Master your breath, master your strength: why shallow breathing robs your power. (22:25)
The hidden reason most people stall in the gym and the simple fix that makes progressive overload work. (34:18)
When to add weight vs. reps: the squat depth rule that prevents injury and builds real strength. (34:42)
The king of all movements: the deadlift. (35:51)
Recovery made simple: walk, don’t sit. (36:55)
Mobility myth busted: why lifting should make you more mobile, not less. (37:10)
Rethinking “tight muscles”: is it fascia, energy, or something else entirely? (40:01)
RESOURCES:
Follow @DeanneKane_Fitness
Follow @TheCocoonGym_Scottsdale
Train with Deanna: The Cocoon Training Facility in North Scottsdale
BIO:
Deanna Kane is a personal trainer, gym owner, and spiritual expansion guide whose work bridges the physical and energetic realms of healing. With over 15 years of experience in weightlifting and strength training, Deanna now blends movement, nervous system regulation, and frequency practices to support vitality from the inside out. Her approach honors the body as both biology and energy, expanding resilience, creative potential, and heart coherence. Through her own journey of transformation, she embodies the balance of discipline and surrender, offering a fresh perspective on what it means to live and thrive as a modern vitalist.
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