There are three principles that if applied properly can ensure success in reaching your health/fitness goals and for that matter, life in general.
Go to any bodybuilding forum or self-help section of your local bookstore and you’ll find literally thousands of opinions, all giving advice on what you should do and how you should do it, all claiming that their way is the best way.
It doesn’t have to be so complicated.
If followed diligently, you will see and feel the difference for as long as you practice these three principles. They are:
- Progression
- Performance
- Persistence
Progression
Progression is the ultimate key to success in the gym, or in life for that matter. If you don’t progress, you will become stagnant. At it’s very simplest form it is, “one more rep, one day at a time.”
Add one more rep to each set, every day. Add a few pounds to the bar every week of your workout. Try a little harder at everything you do, whether you’re training or spending time with the family.
Of course, you won’t always set new records, or drive yourself to new limits every single day. In the beginning, when you start training, progression will come quickly, but after a while, the gains won’t come so fast. What may have looked like being on the fast track has suddenly slowed down but that’s ok.
Weight training and life are about looking at the big picture and setting long-term goals, achieving them, and setting new ones.
Everyone wants to gain 20 lbs in six weeks. But what if you gained just two pounds a month? Doesn’t seem like a big deal right? Well, that turns into 24 pounds in a year. Assuming that your diet was on point, imagine what 24 pounds of muscle would look like on your frame!
Maybe you don’t have enough money stashed away to retire on, take just 10% of every dollar that comes your way and put it aside, how much will you have saved in 10 years?
Performance
As you strive to progress, don’t sacrifice form in the attempt to get more out of yourself, whether at the gym, or strolling down the walk of life. Sloppiness will lead to injury and failure because the only one you are cheating is yourself.
The first few reps of a set are usually easy, that doesn’t mean that you just rush through them. Pause and squeeze at the top of the contraction.
Use a timed cadence. Change that cadence up every two weeks or so. Always control the weight, if you can’t, take a few pounds off the bar. It’s not about ego. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.
Persistence
“Putting down the requirements of successful bodybuilding on paper is easy, it’s putting into practice that is the difficult bit.” Stuart McRobert.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Positive change comes about over time and you have to stay focused on your goals.
Don’t get distracted by all the routines out there and keep changing up what you’re are doing. Pick one and run it for about 3-5 weeks. Have you made gains? Keep doing it.
There will be periods of time when it seems you’re not making any progress. Keep a log, include your meals and sleep patterns. Have things changed, is there more stress in your life than usual?
Never give up, fight through the issues. Every mistake made can be a lesson learned if you pay attention. Day after day, week after week, etc. Just keep at it.
Listen to your body. If you are getting close to over-training or getting burned out, deload, maybe take a couple of weeks off. Your body will thank you for it and you may find that you come back stronger. But make sure you keep coming back.
Following these three principles will help you both in and out of the gym. Have you ever noticed that the people that are truly successful in the gym are generally pretty successful in life? Coincidence? I think not.
Rocco's Writings 