When i first started lifting weights, there was no internet like we know it today.
You learned from muscle magazines and your dad or uncle or buddy down the street.
Now you have so much information available to you that it can be OVERWHELMING.
With that being said, I want to share my BEST tips from over two decades of gym experience. Some of what I’ve learned is from books, articles, other coaches.. but the BEST education in strength training, fitness, and nutrition came from my own experience.
Take what you can and APPLY it to your own life. Like I always say, knowledge is useless without ACTION.
In no particular order:
The 15 BEST Strength and Fitness Tips to get the most benefit from your training
Use free weights
To become the strongest version of yourself, you need to train with free weights (barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags, sleds..) Forget the machines and focus your time and energy on the essentials of strength training
Master bodyweight exercises
Calisthenics and bodyweight training were around long before modern free weights. Men still got strong and fit without any equipment. Focus on the big movements: pushups, pullups, dips, burpees..)
Sprints
Essential to human life is the ability to sprint. Hill sprints are one of my all-time favorite conditioning workouts. Start slow and build up over time. Look at the bodies of sprinters- they didn’t get that way by accident.
Walk
It may surprise you to see walking on a list of the best strength and fitness tips but this simple movement is often overlooked. It’s ESSENTIAL to stay healthy. Without your health your strength and muscle won’t mean much.
Progressive Overload
The best way to get stronger is to add more resistance to your training. There are many different methods to achieve this but the key is to always challenge your body by making the resistance harder over time.
Work your backside
All too often guys focus on the beach muscles and avoid training the backside. DO NOT make this mistake. It will probably lead to injuries and a weak back. No one wants a weak back.
Eat for your goal
If you want to get bigger and stronger you need to eat like you mean it. But this doesn’t mean eat a pizza ever day and hope it all turns into muscle. Be smart about your nutrition and keep it simple.
Exercise Variety
Contrary to what some people think, you don’t have to “confuse your muscles”. BUT, you do need to include some variety into your training. One of the best ways to do this is exercise variations. (close-grip, wide-stance, slow-reps, supersets etc.)
Fight that ego
Do not let your ego control your workouts. You will end up injured. No one is impressed by how much you can lift. Not even the big guy at the gym you think you are competing with. There’s no reason to get injured in your training by lifting a weight that is way too heavy.
Improve your technique
When you start lifting weights you have no idea what good technique looks like. Hopefully you learn as soon as possible and don’t combine heavy weights with improper form. That = disaster for your joints. Learn how to do all the big movements properly and make long-term progress and avoid injury and burn-out
Follow a program
One of the fastest ways to accelerate your progress in your training is to follow a proven routine. It doesn’t matter which one, just pick one. Do it EXACTLY as outlined for a few months. Take notes. See what works and what doesn’t. This is a great learning experience that can help you figure out exactly how to move forward and achieve your greatest fitness goals.
Have an open mind
You never know where you may find a bit of information that can radically change your life. Be open to new ideas, even after you have a solid foundation you use for the majority of your training.
Work with a coach
I thought I knew just about everything in regards to training but when I worked with a coach, I realized there’s always something you don’t know. A coach has a new angle or perspective you haven’t seen or heard. And even MORE valuable is they can assess you from an outsiders point of view. There’s great value in this because often we can’t see beyond our limited viewpoint even if we think we are open-minded.
Embrace your strengths
We all want to do what we are good at. There’s nothing wrong with that. Make sure to include those exercises you enjoy and are strong with. If all you do is exercises or programs you hate, you probably won’t stick with it for long. And consistency is essential for true long-term progress.
Attack your weaknesses
To become the strongest version of yourself you need to be aware of, and attack your weaknesses. You know what area you need to work on. Often we avoid our weakness because it makes us uncomfortable. Turning your weakness into a strength will bring you more fulfilling results in body AND mind than only doing what you are good at.
Are you confused at how to create an effective Strength Training Program?
There’s an easy solution
It’s called REBEL FITNESS
Some of the benefits of the program are as follows:
Daily workouts that allow you to train around your lifestyle.
Structured plan that keeps you focused on your individual goals
“Choose your own adventure” option each day to avoid boredom and make consistent progress
Access to exclusive group coaching in a closed-facebook group
Nutrition coaching to help you stay on track with your diet plan
Daily access to your own personal coach- get your questions answered the same day