Simple Lifting Advice
You don’t need to lift for 2 hours every day, 7 days a week.
Find something simple to stick to. You don’t need a “science-backed” over-complicated lifting routine where you have to look up every exercise. (I.e., a kneeling ipsolateral single arm cable row at 70% RPE.) Swap for a dumbbell row. Lift it 8 times, and if numbers 7 and 8 caused you to focus, breathe, and sweat, then great, it’s working. Write down the weight. If that was easy, then pick up something heavier.
Lift with intention.
Every movement should be somewhat challenging, at least the last few. Stick around 8-10. Not because I’m a scientist firing the perfect recipe for boiling muscle. Because that’s very easy to stick to when building the foundation. And that is the goal. The same applies to everything else – increasing your running, investing money, or lifting weights; boiling it down to a foundation is key. Start there and worry about building muscle after you commit for 45 days.
Whats better? Barbells or Dumbells?
Barbells are overrated. If you want more chest activations, use dumbbells; it will save your shoulders. Barbell bench locks you into a single line of motion. Think outside the bar. Dumbbells work better, and you will be activating more muscle (stabilizers) for better growth and function.
Grip The Weights, Hard.
Grip every weight like Ace Ventura trying to save his raccoon buddy from falling. This is a huge game-changer. When you take your crusty banana peelers and squeeze every weight, it activates even more muscles, and it ignites the nervous system to move heavier weights. It works,
Find an easy workout routine and follow it for 30 days. Record your weights; this will teach you how to lift. It will give you a foundation.
Weight Training Reps and Ranges
A simple breakdown of how it should look is rep range 8-10, and a minimum of 4 exercises per muscle group you are working. If that’s biceps, there should be at least 4 workouts that target the biceps. Same for legs or chest.
A hugely benficial way to do more work and get more blood flow to the muscle is superset.
Bloodflow to the muscle is ultimately what we want. That is the “pump” (better than an orgasm accoriding to Arnold Schwarzenegger). That blood flow is driving oxygen and nutrients to the muscle. And making people look like they lift.
Muscle Pump. Why It’s Important. What are Supersets?
Superset is where you do two types of exercise movements in conjunction with one another, instead of taking a break between. And when you do it to muscle groups that work “together” it increases the pump.
For Example: Dumbell Chest Press, superset with a tricep pushdown. You do your chest press (working the pecs and triceps), and your break is walking to the cable to do triceps (10 seconds or less). Then your take your rest period of 1 -2 minutes or whatever your decide works for you.
Don’t get wrapped up in the stalling argument of how long to rest between sets. Personally, I take a minute or less because I want to keep that muscle getting pumped with blood and nutrients. And don’t scroll your phone between. It’s a waste of time and rude to others.
You can do supersets with nearly any exercise, and they don’t have to be muscles that work in conjunction. Ive also done opposing muscle groups. Doing chest press (working the pecs and triceps), then superset with biceps curls.
Get creative. Weight training is more fun that way. And much like anything, it’s hard to enjoy at first, because we aren’t seeing or feeling results. Stick with it. Consistency above all else will bring results. Supplements aren’t going to get you big.
Lifting and Anabolic Steroids.
Sure, if you take anabolics and lift, you will put on size. Some people who take a PED won’t commit, and don’t look any different. Because they don’t stay consistent, and definitely don’t build any foundation.
The same goes for supplements: protein, pre-workout, creatine, all the stuff out there these days. Show up first. Then earn the right to use supplements. Don’t waste your money and buy $200 worth of nonsense and then quit after 2 weeks.
Lifting Shoes Matter! What Type of Shoes Should I get for Lifting Weights?
Types of shoes matter! Get a minimalist shoe. Think of a chuck Taylor, very simple, flat or near flat sole. This will help prevent injury potential. It doesn’t have to be an expensive weight-training shoe. But if you are wearing running shoes to the gym, they are MEANT to be soft cushioning for your feet. This weakens muscles in your feet (your foundation) and creates instability in your knees and lower back. You are effectively standing on pillows, not an ideal platform under load.
Consistency, Habits, and Making Gains with Weight Training.
Much like anything, it takes time. It’s hard to outthink habits. Our brain has created a default because it likes to be efficient. You have to outpace your habit with the new habit you want to achieve. Correlate it to saving money or creating wealth. You can’t expect to get any more money if you stick to your current spending habits. You have to outpace the spending with savings. Outpace dollars out with dollars in. The same goes for weight training and really building any habit.
Commit. You will see results. And everyone should be using weight training as a method to increase health metrics and improve quality of life.
Check out the video that breaks this down as well. https://youtu.be/aUPNmV0aluM?si=XmJJ60QWlCm1oE70
Get after it.
