EdD · Professor · Coach · Competitor

Dr. JordanWeber

Moving people forward through fitness, education, and inclusion.

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About

Who Is
Dr. Weber

Dr. Jordan Weber is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Applied Human Sciences at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), where he has taught since 2012. and Tonawanda High School graduate (2002), Jordan's academic journey took him from Erie Community College (AS, Social Science, 2002–2004) to SUNY Brockport (BS, 2007) before landing at UNCW — first as a student in 2009, then as faculty.

He earned his Master's in Health Education and Promotion from East Carolina University (2012) and his Doctorate in Education from UNCW's Watson School of Education (2014–2018), where his dissertation research centered on the Fitness For All / TUFF (Train Us Forward Fitness) program — a nonprofit model empowering adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to co-teach fitness classes to their peers.

Jordan is a 6x NPC Men's Physique competitor, college soccer player, youth soccer coach, NCSF Certified Personal Trainer, certified yoga instructor, and FRC Mobility Specialist. His research, teaching, and training are unified by one conviction: movement is for everyone.


Education
EdD, Watson School of Education, UNCW
MS, Health Education, ECU
BS, SUNY Brockport
AS, Erie Community College
Certifications
NASM CPT · NCSS Personal Training · FRC · Kinstretch · Tamal Dodge Yoga · Network Basketball · CPR/First Aid
Faculty Role
Assistant Professor, UNCW · Adapted Physical Activity (UG & Grad) · Lifetime Fitness Internships · Advanced Personal Training · Functional Training Anatomy
Awards
2020 APA University Teacher Award
Tally Award Recipient
NC SHAPE APA Council Recognition

NPC Men's Physique

Competition
Record

2013
1st & 2nd
NC Golds Classic, Wilmington
2014
2nd Place
NC Golds Classic, Wilmington
2015
1st Place
NC Golds Classic, Wilmington
2016
1st Place
NC State Championships
2017
2nd Place
NC Golds Classic, Wilmington
6x
Competitor
NPC Men's Physique

Connect

Find Me
Online

Pillar 1 · Fitness & Hypertrophy

Training
Philosophy

01
Reps In Reserve (RIR)
Every set should be performed with intentional proximity to failure. 1 RIR means one perfect rep left — life-threatening effort, zero technical breakdown. Once form breaks, the rep doesn't count. Partial reps are not recommended.
02
Tempo & Rep Quality
Control every phase of the movement. Explosive concentric, controlled eccentric. The speed at which you complete a rep dictates the stimulus. Rushed reps = wasted sets. Most working sets: 8–12 reps.
03
Intensity
Most weeks (60–70%): train moderate-heavy to heavy at 75–95% intensity, 3–10 reps. Some weeks (30–40%): train moderate-light at 50–70% when sleep, recovery, or consistency is compromised. Always train to your actual state — not your ego.
04
Volume & Frequency
Train each major muscle group 2x per week. Advanced: 20–30 sets per muscle group per week. Moderate: ~20 sets. Beginner: ~10 sets. Spread volume with high frequency and moderate load rather than single brutal sessions.
05
Warm-Up Protocol
Begin every exercise with a 5–15 rep warm-up set. If it feels too light or heavy, do 5–8 reps. If it feels right, go 12–15. First working set: 8–12 reps at modest to heavy weight. Progress down in reps, up in load across sets.

Weber's Current Program

Monday–
Friday Split

Train 5x/week · 60–75 min · Weekends off · Use machines, free weights & cables · Click any exercise to learn it.

Day Focus Exercises
MON
 Legs
Quads / Hams / Glutes / Calves / Core		 Calf Raise
Leg Extension
Barbell Deadlift / Assisted Single Leg DB RDL
Decline Loaded Sit-Up
Back Extension Machine
Leg Press / Calf Raise
Seated Ham Curl
Cable Oblique Rotation
TUE
 Chest & Triceps
5 Chest / 2 Tricep / 2 Shoulder		 Reverse DB / Cable Lat Pull-Down Matrix
DB Chest Flys
BB Bench Press
Machine Dips / Shrugs
Tricep Press Down
DB Incline Press
Barbell Skull Crusher
Decline Press
WED
 Back & Biceps
5 Back / 2 Bicep / 1 Shoulder		 Straight Bar Lat Pullover & Tricep Extension
Wide Grip Pull-Up & Chin-Up Combo
One Arm DB Row / Bent Over Row
Standing Lateral Raise
Seated Lat Pull-Down (variety of grips)
Standing Cable One Arm Bicep Curl
Seated Narrow Row
Seated Preacher Curl Machine
THU
 Legs & Core
Quads / Hams / Adductors / Abductors / Core		 Seated Calf Raise Machine Long Lever
Prone Hamstring Curl
Barbell Back Squat (or Smith)
Leg Extensions
Roman Chair Back Extension
Abductors
Ab Rope Crunch
Adductors
FRI
 Full Upper
2 each: Chest / Shoulders / Back / Biceps / Triceps		 Incline Chest Flys
Incline Press
Dips / Traps / Calves
Seated Lat Pull-Down
Seated Row
Standing Cable Bicep Curl
Lateral Raise
Dumbbell Press
One Arm Bicep & Tricep Combo
Reverse Flys

Reference Programs

More
Programs

3-Day Split (Resistance + Cardio) +

Monday — Upper

  1. BB Bench or Incline Press
  2. Dips or DB Fly
  3. DB/BB Close Press or Shoulder Press w/ Trap Shrugs (superset)
  4. One Arm Rows or Seated Row & Rear Fly (superset)
  5. Overhead DB Tricep Extensions
  6. Straight Bar Tricep Push Down & Lat Pull-Downs (superset)
  7. Decline Sit-Up Machine w/ Med Ball

Tuesday — Zone 2 Cardio (30–90 min)

Wednesday — Lower Dominant

  1. Back/Machine Squat
  2. Single Leg Squat or Deadlift
  3. Lunges or Split Squats or Lateral Squats
  4. Seated Quad Extensions
  5. Seated Hamstring Curls
  6. Hip Abductor Machine or Side Plank Clam Shell
  7. Standing Calf Raise
  8. Hip Adduction
  9. Lower Back Machine/Extensions

Thursday — Zone 2 Cardio (30–90 min)

Friday — Full Body

  1. Pull-Ups (variety of grips)
  2. DB or BB Shoulder Press
  3. Deadlift
  4. Lunges or Bulgarians
  5. Lat Pull-Downs Wide or Narrow
  6. Chest Fly & Rear Flys
  7. Prone Hamstring Curl
  8. Ab Rope Curl
  9. Seated Quad Extension
  10. Barbell Bicep Curl & Tricep Extension
2-Day Split +

Day 1

  1. Bench Press
  2. Back or Front Squat
  3. Pull-Up
  4. Single Leg Deadlift
  5. Shoulder Press
  6. Lunges
  7. Seated or One Arm Rows
  8. Seated Hamstring Curl or Back Extension
  9. Bicep Curls
  10. Tricep Extensions

Day 2

  1. Deadlift
  2. Incline Press
  3. Machine Squat Press
  4. Pull-Downs
  5. Nordics or Prone Hamstring Curl
  6. Chest Fly & Rear Fly
  7. Leg Extensions
  8. Seated Row or Pullover
  9. Hip Abductor/Adductor
  10. Spider Curl and OH Tricep Extension
Hypertrophy Program (7-Day) +

Day 1 — Chest/Tricep

  1. Smith Machine or Rack Bench Press
  2. Rope Crunch
  3. Chest Fly Machine or DB
  4. Dip Machine or Bodyweight Dips
  5. Incline DB Press
  6. Straight Bar Tricep Push Down
  7. One Arm Overhead Tricep
  8. Dirty 30

Day 2 — Back/Bicep

  1. Overhand Grip Pull-Up or Lat Pull-Down
  2. Bent Over Row or One Arm Row
  3. Wide Grip Straight Arm Pull-Down
  4. Seated Machine Row Hammer Grip
  5. Underhand One Arm Cable Pull-Down
  6. Seated Alternating Curl
  7. Cable Overhand Grip Curl
  8. Underhand Grip Pull-Down or Iso Pull-Up Hold

Day 3 — Shoulders/Abs

  1. One Arm Lateral Raise
  2. DB Shoulder Press
  3. DB Front Raise One Arm
  4. Upright Row
  5. Barbell Press
  6. Shrugs
  7. Rear Fly
  8. W Press

Day 4 — Squat/Quads/Tibialis

  1. Smith Machine or Rack Squat
  2. Sumo Squat
  3. Lunge
  4. Leg Extensions
  5. Lateral Squat
  6. Leg Press
  7. Abductors · Adductors · Tibialis Raise · Backward Sled Walk

Day 5 — Full Upper

  1. DB Chest Press
  2. Overhead Row
  3. Double Arm Lateral Raise
  4. Close Press Bench
  5. Two Arm Row
  6. Bicep Machine or Isolated Two Arm
  7. Tricep Machine or Overhead Rope Tricep
  8. Back Extension

Day 6 — Arms

  1. Barbell Bicep Curl
  2. Rope Tricep Extension
  3. Hammer Bicep Curl
  4. W Tricep
  5. Isolated Bicep · Isolated Tricep · Bicep Machine · Tricep Machine or Dips

Day 7 — Deadlift/Glutes/Hamstrings/Calves

  1. Trap Bar Deadlift
  2. Shoulder Elevated Hip Lift
  3. Straight Leg Barbell Deadlift
  4. One Leg Deadlift
  5. Standing Straight Leg Calf Raise
  6. Hamstring Walk-Outs

Pillar 2 · Education & Pedagogy

Adapted PE
& Yoga

Published · JOPERD · Vol. 95, No. 7 · September 2024
Designing Appropriate Warmups and Fitness Progressions in Secondary Physical Education: The Fitness Bucket Approach
Merica & Weber · DOI: 10.1080/07303084.2024.2370784
This article introduces the Fitness Bucket Approach — a four-part framework for structuring fitness content in secondary PE. The four buckets (Movement, Power, Strength, Conditioning) provide PE teachers with a progressive, standards-aligned system that works with minimal equipment and integrates into any existing curriculum model.
The Four Buckets
🫁 Movement Bucket
Breathing · Mobility · Stability · Dynamic Stretching
⚡ Power Bucket
Sprinting · Plyometrics · Agility · Reaction Time
💪 Strength Bucket
Vertical & Horizontal Push/Pull · Squat · Hip-Dominant
🏃 Conditioning Bucket
Zone 2 · HIIT · Small-Sided Games · Interval Running
Video Resources from the Article
Breathing Exercises Playlist ▶ Mobility Exercises Playlist ▶ Stability Exercises Playlist ▶ Dynamic Stretches Playlist ▶ Plyometrics Playlists ▶ Agility Exercises Playlist ▶ Upper-Body Strength Playlists ▶ Lower-Body Strength Playlist ▶ Core Strength Playlists ▶ Low-Organized Games Playlist ▶
Published · Strategies: A Journal for Physical and Sport Educators · November 2025
Beyond Just Playing Games: Applying Fitness in Disguise to Low-Organized and Cooperative Games in Physical Education
Merica & Weber · DOI: 10.1080/08924562.2025.2551941
This article applies the "Fitness in Disguise" concept to low-organized and cooperative games in K–12 physical education. Rather than separate fitness from gameplay, the approach embeds health-related components of fitness (HRCF) directly into fun, high-participation game structures — students get fit without realizing it.
Fitness in Disguise Criteria
🎭 Criteria 1 — Disguise
Activities are fun and engaging. Students focus on the game, not the fitness component.
🏃 Criteria 2 — Physical Activity
Teacher's focus is HRCF. Activity meaningfully addresses muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, or flexibility.
✅ Criteria 3 — Appropriate Practices
No elimination. Maximized participation. All students have opportunity for success.
Game Videos from the Article
Beanbag Toe-Tag Demo ▶ Island Hopping ▶ Flag Collector ▶ Hungry Hippos ▶ Plank Hockey ▶ Caterpillar Tag ▶ Logger (Cooperative Game) ▶ Frogs Cross the Pond ▶ Scarf Switch ▶ Assembly Line ▶
Adapted Aquatics
Inclusive Water-Based Programming
Dr. Weber designs and implements adapted aquatics programming for individuals with a range of physical, cognitive, and sensory disabilities. His approach integrates UDL principles into pool-based learning environments, ensuring access, safety, and meaningful participation for all swimmers.
Yoga & Mobility
Tamaul Dodge Certified · FRC · Kinstretch
As a certified yoga instructor and FRC Mobility Specialist, Dr. Weber integrates breath, movement, and joint health into his teaching and training. His yoga approach is accessible, adaptive, and rooted in functional anatomy. Follow along on the Jordzen and Jordan Weber Yoga YouTube channels.
TUFF — Train Us Forward Fitness
Nonprofit · 501(c)(3) · Qualitative Research
TUFF was a five-year nonprofit program (Jordan's doctoral dissertation project) that empowered adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to teach fitness classes to their peers. The program raised over $10,000, ran in partnership with the Wilmington community, and serves as a replicable model for fitness facilities seeking adaptive fitness programming.

Education Channels