In a fitness world full of fads, it’s good to know some truths will always remain. Here are my top 4 ironclad resistance training truths.
Affiliate Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off some items you purchase at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and trust.
#1 – Consistency is key.
Consistency in fitness is the most important principle of all. Being fit is a lifestyle and it takes repeated actions and habits as well as almost daily efforts. I say “almost daily” because you don’t necessarily have to exercise every day, but at least 3 days a week is recommended – FOR LIFE. Til death do you part from your dumbbells.
Knowing that consistency is key is a core truth for a fit life because it helps you prioritize and build it into your life. Lean into this idea until you absorb it like your muscles absorbing a protein shake after leg day. Just like brushing your teeth and paying your taxes, keeping yourself fit is something you just have to do!
Embrace the journey. It can take a long time to see visual results from working out. That doesn’t mean the changes aren’t occurring though! Building muscle takes months and years, not days. Sometimes people give up after a few weeks because they believe it’s not working. I know that won’t be you though because you are ready to embrace the fact that consistency is key – for years and decades!
#2 – Get really good at the 5 main movement patterns.
I’ve been lifting weights for nearly 30 years and training others for 15. Every workout program I’ve ever done or written for others contains the same basic movement patterns. Squat, hip hinge (deadlift type things), press, pull, plank. That’s it! Master these and you can do pretty much any workout you ever lay eyes and gluts on.
How to get better? Practice. Watch videos. Mimic the form when you see it being done well. Take vids of yourself and analyze them. Read books. Ask your meathead friends for help. Work with a qualified personal trainer. Remember tip #1. Consistency is key. The more you get to the gym/garage/park/living room to practice, while intentionally working to improve your technique, the better you will get. Ask for feedback and be coachable!
#3 – Form is more important than load.
While you’re getting great at the big 5 movement patterns, it’s more important to have quality form than it is to move heavy quantities of weight. I’d rather see somebody squat 3 sets of 10 at 100 pounds with beautiful form than 3×10 at 150 with awful form. Having bad form will not only hold you back from achieving your potential, it could potentially hurt you.
So in summary, patience is a virtue. Taking a step back and building amazing form at lighter weights now will actually allow you to lift much heavier in the future — without destroying your back, hips, and knees while you’re at it.
#4 – Rest days are when you actually make gains.
You do not get stronger, faster, more agile, more powerful during the hour you are at the gym. It is in the 24-48 hours after you take a shower and move on with your day where your body makes gains. Lifting weights is what triggers the processes of muscle building, but ya actually build the muscle later on, with the food you nourish yourself with and especially while you’re asleep. So remember to fuel well, prioritize quality sleep, and give your muscles a break for a day or two, so they can repair and move forward after your training sessions.
There are many approaches to how to structure rest days and the one that is the best is the one that works for you and your crazy life. Some people like to lift “total body” 3 days a week with a day off in between (Mon/Wed/Fri or Tu/Thu/Sat). Others like to use a “split routine” where they break up the upper body and lower body so they can train the opposing groups on consecutive days. An example of this could be lower body training on Mon/Thurs and upper body training on Tues/Fri. There are many different ways to structure your week, but please remember to include an intentional rest day to give your body a chance to absorb the adaptations you are triggering with your workouts.
Takeaways
These 4 basic truths are certainly not sexy or glamorous, but they are the bedrock for a strong fitness foundation for real and for life. Being consistent, caring about quality movement, getting good at the major movement patterns, and using rest days intentionally are resistance training truths.
Recommended Reading
10 Great Tips to Maximize Results with HIIT
