10 Tips For Training Success
In no particular order here are 10 things that I’ve learnt over my 20 years of lifting.
1 . It is about the weight. It just is. Go and bench 40kg for the next 5 years and then tell me about your gains. The weight needs to increase. Compound movements allow you to move more weight than isolation exercises which is why they cause a greater change in your body. If you want to change your body, focus on big compounds and increasing the weight.
2 . Volume is a bad thing if you’re training correctly. Once the muscle is done, it’s done. You don’t need to keep beating it and breaking it down once it’s already exhausted.
3 . Diet consistency is key.
4 . Sleep and rest are extremely important. You don’t change in the gym. You change when you rest. You need to give your body time to act on the messages sent to it through the training.
4 . Strength ultimately trumps form. Yes form is important but the reason you cant do something with better form is because you aren’t strong enough to do so. Learn it, build it, and your form will improve.
5 . The type of training matters. You wouldn’t row a boat to get good at throwing a ball. Don’t run to build a muscular physique. Figure out what you’re trying to achieve and then select the best training for that outcome.
6 . Pick the exercises that work for you. The best exercises are the ones you can make extended progress with. Exercises that hit their limits with very little weight are of limited use. See tip 1 for compounds and isolations. What works for someone else may not work for you. Look at your body, your levers, your ROM and choose the best suited movements.
7 . Don’t be afraid of trial and error. The only way you’ll find out what works for your body is to try it. If it doesn’t work, you can add it to the list of what not to do again. No one goes significantly backwards in a few weeks of training by doing something that ultimately didn’t progress. We are constantly learning. Don’t be afraid to try something.
8 . Don’t train to avoid injuries. There is no better way of getting injured than to try and avoid getting injured. Focusing on not getting injured means you’re not completely focused on doing the exercise. Injuries unfortunately happen. They happen in every aspect of life. Worry about the job at hand, which is moving the weight for as many reps as possible.
9 . Always be aware of what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Take note of where you struggle in a movement and then take steps to strengthen that area. Training is about making progress. We all have weaknesses. Every big movement is made up of several smaller movements. Identify which smaller exercise you need to do to strengthen the weakness. Always be thinking of the best way for you to progress by fixing the issues holding you back.
10 . Legs. Train them. Often. Train them heavy with lots of reps. Nothing allows you to put as much weight through your body and cause as much stress as leg training will. The more stress you cause, the greater the change will be. Plus, no one wants to be the guy who gets laughed at for skipping leg day.
Honorable mentions.
Isolation movements are supposed to isolate a muscle. Compound movements use multiple muscle groups. If you’re using multiple muscle groups to do your isolation movement then you’re missing the point.
Cheat reps and ugly reps are perfectly fine. But there is a fine line between ugly and downright dangerous and stupid. Learn where that line is.
Drugs make good dieting and training work better. They don’t fix bad training and diet.
If you’re not going to do the session properly, don’t do it at all. Go clear your head or fix the problem. Then come back and push the session to its limits. There is no shame in taking a day off because your head just isn’t there. No one goes backwards in a day or 2.
A continuation from the previous point. Never train while sick or coming down with something. A: Get the fuck out of the gym and don’t spread your disease to other people. This has nothing to do with Covid. It’s common courtesy. If you feel shit, do you think anyone else wants to feel that way? Stay home! B: I have seen people walk in with an itch in their throat and leave 20 minutes later in a coughing fit, nose running, eyes bloodshot and watery, sweating while shivering. That little remaining defence your immune system had gets its ass kicked when you start putting your entire body under massive stress from training. C. See the previous point. If you’re sick or coming down with something you wont train properly. You’ll be weak and feel terrible, so don’t do it at all. Go home and rest and get better.