Instagram story viewer> @stateofsteel> Posts

Aphrodite Sfakianaki | State of Steel

@stateofsteel

923

posts

9.5K

followers

745

following

𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬.
Come for Strength. Stay for Who You Become.
Relentless Standards. Intentional Care.
↓ 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

WHEN LIFE TESTS YOU, BE STEEL.

At State of Steel, strength is not muscle.
It is the foundation of resilience and control.

Forged through grit.
Tempered with discipline.

Strength is not something you have.
It is how you live.

Mastery of movement, body, and mind.
Built through deliberate practice.
Earned through consistency.

No shortcuts. No exceptions.

We use kettlebells, barbells, and bodyweight
as tools of precision and adaptation.

They teach control.
They build capacity.
They expose weakness.

Strength is the standard.

It shapes how you move, think, and respond under pressure.

When doubt appears - return to fundamentals.
Own your work.

This is not a solo pursuit.

We are a community built on discipline and action.
We rise together. We build together.

So when life tests you , BE STEEL.

The forge is open to those who are ready to step into the fire.

Enter the State.

#stateofsteel by @stateofsteel

69

9

4 months ago

True, sustainable strength is a biological adaptation, not just a math equation.

We love talking about numbers - reps, sets, tonnage, percentages. But your skeletal muscle adapts much faster than your tendons, ligaments, and central nervous system. When your mechanical drive outpaces the structural capacity of your connective tissue, you run straight into a wall of overuse and setbacks.

At State of Steel, this isn’t just a concept; it is our standard. It is woven into every piece of our programming and dictates our entire way of thinking. There is simply no other way for us, and for the people who train here.

We are not just chasing strength. We chase it with intensive care. Listening to what your nervous system and recovery capacity are telling you - and dialing back volume when the biology demands it - is how you stay in the game for decades, not just months.

Strength is a long-term investment.
Respect the tissue.

#stateofsteel by @stateofsteel

56

5

a day ago

💥 4 Hardstyle Rules for Iron-Willed Lifters 💥

For raw, lasting power you need to follow the rules of the iron. Swipe through to learn how to change everything.

#StateOfSteel

1. Program with Cyclical Precision, Not Endless Grinding

Go HARD, then back off:
High-frequency, maximal-output training requires waves. Implement a structured template where you push high-tension volume for four weeks, then scale back intensity and volume to clear fatigue.

Why it works:
True hardstyle strength lives in the nervous system. Smart cyclical loading prevents central nervous system burnout, keeps joint integrity intact, and ensures you attack the bell or bar with explosive intent every single session.

2. Pain Is Feedback, Not a Badge of Honor

Modify or abort:
If a movement causes joint shearing, sharp pain, or compensation patterns, do not push through it. Lower the load, adjust your stance, alter your grip (remember: diagonal grip on the kettlebell handle for structural alignment), or scale back the range of motion.

Why it works:
You cannot build sustainable power on a broken foundation. Respecting the signal allows you to preserve your training longevity and return to peak numbers faster.

3. Fuel the Nervous System for the Crucible

Never train on empty:
Hardstyle lifting demands maximal neural recruitment. Consume a balanced, high-protein meal containing clean carbohydrates roughly 2 hours before you lift to top off your glycogen stores and stabilize blood glucose.

Why it works:
Your brain and nervous system run primarily on glucose during high-intensity ballistic and grind efforts. Coming in well-fed maximizes your force production, focus, and explosive power from set one.

4. Warm Up for Neural Prep, Not Just a Sweat

Prime the machinery:
Your warm-up is a neurological rehearsal, not a mindless cardio jog. Wake up the nervous system with targeted mobility, core bracing, and movement patterns that mirror the demands of your session.

Why it works:
Movements like the primal patterns, hip openers, and targeted spine/shoulder preparation upregulate neuromuscular pathways. You aren’t just "bringing blood flow" - you are teaching your body how to create tension, p by @stateofsteel

91

21

3 days ago

A kettlebell swing is too heavy when we lose power and explosiveness.
A common guideline for heavy ballistic strength is using a kettlebell that is about 25-29% of your deadlift 1-Rep Max (1RM) for two-hand swings, and 18-21% for one-hand swings.

True strength programming is about choosing the right loading protocol and pairing it with the exact swing mechanic required to exploit that nervous system stimulus.

Here is how we match the best kettlebell swing variations with four custom programming frameworks in State of Steel:

1. Step-Loading ➡️ Two-Handed Swing

• The Protocol: Hold weight constant; gradually build volume week-by-week.
• The Match: Two-Handed Swing allows maximum bilateral hip drive and handling heavy overloads safely.

2. Autoregulated Density ➡️ One-Handed Swing

• The Protocol: Use a timer; rest only until your breathing recovers.
• The Match: One-Handed Swing forces high anti-rotation tension, naturally regulating your power and rest.

3. Wave Loading ➡️ Overspeed Eccentric Swing

• The Protocol: Alternate heavy strength days with fast, explosive light days.
•The Match: Overspeed Swing (pushing the bell down) forces violent deceleration to build speed-strength on light days.

4. Ladder Progressions ➡️ Double Kettlebell Swing

• The Protocol: Rotate changing rep ranges (2, 3, 5) to sneak in heavy volume.
• The Match: Double Kettlebell Swing maximizes spinal load, keeping you safe on low-rep rungs under heavy weights.

True strength isn't about surviving a pre-cut workout; it is about pairing the right loading strategy with the exact swing mechanic that forces your nervous system to adapt.

Pick your protocol, lock in your variation, and build a stronger, more resilient posterior chain on your own terms.

Which combo are you testing first? Drop your setup in the comments! 👇 by @stateofsteel

86

8

4 days ago

by @stateofsteel

48

2

5 days ago

Keep going and feel every fucking emotion it takes to heal.

Remember, "consistently good' always beats "occasionally perfect ".

#StateOfSteel by @stateofsteel

165

30

6 days ago

💥 GET-UP FOCUS POINTS PART 2

65% of the people I have coached the past 7 years don't see a point in doing getups.
40% see the point but they don't want to out the effort.
And 5% see the point and put in the work.

Who do you think is winning? by @stateofsteel

100

18

8 days ago

💥 GET-UP FOCUS POINTS (TO FIX)

It's very common initiating the movement with the head, curling the spine and covering the movement to a sit up.
This leads to a domino of gains loss: shoulder beingunstable, no engagement, upper and lower body disconnection, no full body tension, lack of efficiency and safety.

The Get-Up has both sides of the body cooperating to make this movement happen successfully, plus the upper and lower. If those parts don't communicate and connect, you will end up with the opposite results, framing the getup as one of the least useful and most dangerous exercises.
Which we all know it's completely the opposite. by @stateofsteel

87

25

9 days ago

🔔 32 kgs BACK TO MY PRs
Intent matters more than the tool. Strength is earned not given.

The tool without intent is just equipment.
No challenge ➡️ No adaptation ➡️ No change.

With intent it builds you.
Challenge ➡️ Adaptation ➡️ Strength.

Strength is not only what you can lift.
It is what your body can support, control, and own.

INTENT > TOOL.

How I prep for the Getup using Animal Movement for supportive strength.

A type of strength that is not primarily about producing maximum force (like a heavy deadlift or press), but about supporting your body through positions, transitions, and movement demands.

It is called supportive because the strength you develop helps you hold, stabilize, and control yourself while moving.

Think of it as the difference between:

Force strength: “How much can I lift?”
Supportive strength: “How well can I control and support myself under load, in space, and through changing positions?”

Supportive strength is about:

• Joint integrity and stability
• Isometric strength
• Strength through ranges of motion
• Whole-body connection

This is why Animal Movement often pairs well with kettlebells. A kettlebell builds tensile strength and force production; Animal Movement builds the ability to express and transfer that strength through complex human movement. by @stateofsteel

136

30

10 days ago

Most people think mobility is something you do to prepare for strength.

I see it differently.

Mobility is one of the ways we build strength.

DURABLE is my approach to creating a body that is not only flexible, but capable.

It is built around loaded mobility chains that combine:

→ controlled range of motion
→ strength through positions
→ joint resilience
→ coordination
→ body awareness
→ sustainable movement practice

Because being able to reach a position is only the beginning.

The real question is:

Can you control it?
Can you create tension there?
Can you use it?

DURABLE is not about chasing deeper stretches.

It is about building movement capacity that transfers into everything you do — your training, your performance, and your everyday life.

A system for those who want to move better, be stronger and build a body made for real life, is coming soon inside the State of Steel app.

Stay tuned.

#stateofsteel #durablechains by @stateofsteel

71

18

11 days ago

taken in Chania, Crete, Greece by @stateofsteel

140

15

13 days ago

"Are you a fan of Iron Maiden too?", a friend asked me.

The answer is yes — but probably not for the reason most people think.

What I respect about it is not only the physical challenge. It’s the lesson behind the process.

Iron Maiden teaches you to follow a structure.

There is no constantly changing exercise selection.
No chasing the next exciting variation.
No escaping when things get uncomfortable.

You have a standard, and your job is to show up and meet it.

That builds things that matter:
Consistency.
Discipline.
Work capacity.
Mental toughness.
Self-management.

Because when the workload increases, you quickly learn that strength is not only about what happens during the session.

It’s about everything around it.

How you recover.
How you prepare.
How you manage fatigue.
How you take care of small details before they become big problems.

Now, does Iron Maiden perfectly represent real-life strength?

Probably not.

Life is not always predictable.
You don’t always lift a perfectly balanced object from the perfect position.
You don’t always have the same conditions, the same tools, or the same challenge.

Real life requires adaptability, coordination, movement, and the ability to express strength in different situations.

But here is where I think Iron Maiden has a deeper value.

It teaches lessons that transfer far beyond the gym.

It teaches you to do the things you don’t feel like doing.

To respect the boring work.

To stop overlooking the small things because they seem unnecessary.

To understand that capability is not built from one big heroic effort.

It is built from repeating the right actions long enough that they become part of who you are.

The same way you build strength under the bar, you build resilience in life.

One decision.
One habit.
One rep at a time.

So no, I don’t think a program should only make you good at completing the program.

But I do believe the right program can teach you how to become the person who is capable of doing difficult things.

#stateofsteel #Ironmaidenchallenge #StrongFirst by @stateofsteel

67

23

16 days ago