google-site-verification=guY0mKfrKVxjLeSZ3PPP9IDa3IiKzS6QmhuYWrU6hPI
IntroThere are 3 steps I use when I'm preparing to workout and you may be surprised to know that not one of them is stretching. From the experts I have studied that are prominent and well-respected in the weightlifting space, including Ben Greenfield, Mike Matthews, Greg Nuckols and more, static stretching does not seem to be beneficial to have in your warm up routine. You may argue that it is better than nothing, and maybe that is true, but there seem to be better ways to prepare for a workout. By no means are all 3 of these steps necessary but, for me personally, I find they help. I will go in consecutive order of what I do when I am preparing for a workout. Let's go through it... Step 1: Use Pre-workoutIf you are skeptical on if caffeine is good to supplement with for a workout or are just interested in the details, I suggest you check out a previous post - All About the Caffeine. Essentially, most of the experts I've researched suggest that caffeine benefits your workout and to not worry about getting too much caffeine unless you are consuming more than 400mg per day. It is also a good idea to take a break from caffeine now and then if you supplement with it often and to refrain from using it later on in the day so that it does not interrupt your sleep. Bottom line, I find pre-workout helps me a ton and gives me the burst of energy I need to execute a workout, even if I'm working out at 4:00AM before work. Whether you are running or lifting, caffeine appears to be beneficial for performance and will give you the wake-me-up when you need it. Step 2: Plan & Write Down Your WorkoutThe main reason logging your workout is so critical is so you can track your progress. It obviously helps you when you are working out so that your time between sets is consistent and you accomplish the amount of work you planned on going into the workout. Both Mike Matthews and Greg Nuckols strongly recommend doing this and, as coaches, say it increases results and adherence to a program. Setting up your logbook for should only take a few minutes. Below, I will share an example of what my logbook looks like when I am preparing for a workout (laying out the exercises I plan on doing, number of sets, and the weight I plan to start with for each). Personally, I find writing things down on paper to be better than using any app on my phone. I'm just partial to pen and paper rather than using my phone. Step 3: Warm UpForget what you think of first when you hear the term "warm up." Rather than static stretching, consider warming up with movements closely related with the major movements you plan on using in your workout, if not the same movement. The warm up I currently use is directly taken by Mike Matthews' Bigger Leaner Stronger. When my major lift for the day is a bench press, I also warm up with the bench press, just with lower weights. Mike suggests doing 3 warm up sets: 2 sets of 10 reps at 50% the weight you plan on lifting and 1 set of 3-4 reps at 70% the weight you plan on lifting.Keep in mind that the "weight you plan on lifting" is in the 4-6 rep range with 1-2 reps left in the tank, per BLS. In the image below, you can see a clear example of this. Greg Nuckols, world record-breaking powerlifter and weightlifting coach, suggests using a similar method of slowly working your way up to the %one-rep-max you plan on lifting that day for major lifts. Ben Greenfield, Mike Matthews, and Greg Nuckols do not suggest static stretching when it comes to a warm up and have even written about a number of scientific articles that have tested if stretching helps performance or injury prevention and have reflected that stretching is either negative or neither helpful or hurtful for both categories when done before a workout. The same experts, with Kelly Starrett included as well, suggest that stretching after a workout or before going to bed can be beneficial for doing your own physical therapy and/or improving your movement capabilities. So, if you plan to stretch, it may be better to save it for later. ConclusionIn the end, whatever keeps you going to the gym and executing the work is what matters. Step 2, I believe is the most crucial step, but all 3 of these steps help me personally, and maybe they can help you too. None of these things are taught in gym class, possibly because weight training is not focused on much at all. Most of this applies if you are a runner as well - I would still take pre-workout (maybe a little less, though), log the work I'm doing, and use movements like squats and butt-kicks rather than swinging my arms around before going for a run.
I hope you found this helpful, and if you did, please share it on! Also, subscribe to the blog if you'd like to be notified of new articles. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to comment below and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!
0 Comments
IntroIn these crazy times, I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that I've been a little stressed out. Between the fear of getting sick and being told to stay home while looting and rioting is happening all over the United States, it is tough to not be sucked into what is going on and stressed out by it. People have a right to be outraged but, personally, I feel the best thing I can do is focus on everything else I have going on. It's important to understand what is going on but there is no use in watching videos and reading articles that are solely generated for click-bait and to get your stress levels up. I understand that this post is different than my other posts, but I feel it is important to share ways for you to de-stress and stay motivated to work on improving yourself. From studying successful entrepreneurs like those in the health and fitness space, a tool they seem to all have is to not get distracted and keep working hard on what they believe in. Almost all of them have gone through difficult times in their lives, where they had nearly nothing, and they just kept pushing towards their goals and still have not stopped. Some great resources for staying motivated to reach your goals are: The Little Black Book of Workout Motivation by Mike Matthews The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday and I will be referencing them throughout this post. You Are What You Habitually DoTo quote Tyler Durden from the fantastic movie, Fight Club - "You are not your job. You are not how much money you have in the bank. You are not the car you drive. You're not the contents in your wallet." I believe people being forced to stay home has brought to light what is most important; I know it has for me. We should be showing the ones we love how much we care and spending time with them as much as possible. Life is meant to enjoy and be others, not to be stressed out and alone. As Ryan Holiday says in The Daily Stoic, "The person you'd like to be, or the person you see yourself as - how closely do your actions actually correspond to him or her (p.147)?" Start thinking of goals you have in all areas of life and what habits you can start applying to get there. Quit Complaining and Making ExcusesAs Mike Matthews says in The Little Black Book of Workout Motivation, "There's probably very little we're actually incapable of; there's only our sense of urgency and willingness to act (p. 146)." Most things are not as complex as people make them out to be. If your goal is to change your body composition, dieting and exercising work; it's just finding programs that you will adhere to. If your goal is to improve the relationships you have with your loved ones, pick up the phone and randomly call them more or go out of your way to visit them more. If your goal is start your own business, do your research, make a plan, and get the ball rolling. Rather than getting sucked into social media or video games, use the time you have wisely and invest it in yourself. There is always room for improvement. Educate YourselfRather than focusing on all the negativity, use that time to teach yourself something. If you want to educate yourself on topics related to what is going on today, study people like Martin Luther King or Frederick Douglass or study times of large protests or economic downfalls. If you want to focus on something else, find something your passionate in - pick up an old hobby or find a new one! Pick up a new instrument, start journaling, or find a topic you want to learn more about. We have more resources than ever at our fingertips - whether you prefer movies, articles, books, or podcasts you'll find something to peak your interest. Make an Effort to Be KindIt always helps to be kind to others, especially with everything going on nowadays. Make someone laugh or smile and let them forget about the stress in their lives for a minute. This is also something that successful people I have studied practice - selflessness. Make an effort to help out others when they ask or donate money to just causes if you can. Think of all the little things you take for granted and what little things you can do for those who do not have those things. Many small business, those looted or shut down due to COVID-19 are hurting bad so, anything you can do to support local businesses is an especially kind gesture at this time. Keep your gym memberships even if you are not going and donate to these causes if you can. Also, reach out to friends who are stuck and living alone regularly. ConclusionI hope that this post sparks some ideas in how you can use this time wisely rather than stressing yourself out. We will persevere and get through this. In the meantime, work on yourself by setting goals or setting standards for yourself.
Another powerful quote from Ryan Holiday in The Daily Stoic is, "The work of living is to set standards and then not compromise them... Not, I want to do good - that's an excuse. But, I will do good in this particular instance, right now. Set a standard; hold fast to it. That's all there is (p. 302)." Something I plan on doing in the near future is establishing the standards I live by. I know a few off-hand but have never listed these as a practice. I hear a good resource for finding good life and business standards to live by is a book written in 2017, Principles by Ray Dalio. To wrap up, I want to share my favorite quote from The Daily Stoic... "Time is our most irreplaceable asset - we cannot buy more of it. We can only strive to waste as little as possible (p. 365)." Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, please share it on and subscribe to be notified of new posts on my Contact page. IntroductionAs promised, here is Part 2 of 2 of "Simplifying Protein." Part 1 can be found here - Simplifying Protein (Part 1 of 2). Part of me really debated if I wanted to even do a Part 2 because this is such a stereotypical article from health and fitness bloggers but, after thinking about it, I do believe I have practical tips for you to take away. Part 1 was created to give a background of what experts suggest on how much protein you should be consuming each day, whether you are on a diet or bulking up. Part 2 is more to share what I use to help reach my protein goals. Tip 1: Create a RoutineA routine for your diet? What?! ... Yes, I think this is the easiest way (at least that I've found) to keep track of things when counting macros and calories. I, for one, progressively eat more calorie-heavy as the day progresses. I like starting my day with a light meal, eating an average (anywhere from 600-1,000 calories, depending on if I am cutting or bulking) lunch, and eating a large (800-1,000+ calories, depending) dinner. I find this helps my energy levels throughout the day. For breakfast, I start with light protein and once I start snacking towards lunch time, my protein intake increases quite a bit. I also try to make sure my lunch and dinner each includes about 8oz of some sort of meat, which gives me at least 50g of protein each meal right there. Tip 2: Make Your Snacks Protein-PackedWhether I am cutting or bulking, I rely a bit on snacks just to ensure that I hit my protein goal. When I'm cutting, I'll have very small snacks that are very low in carbohydrates but when I am bulking, I'll have a larger variety of snacks with a good mix of carbohydrates and protein. Tip 3: Track What You're Eating So You Don't Go OverboardPeople are so worried about not reaching their protein goal but it's actually really easy if you follow these tips, at least in my opinion. I think you should be more worried about overdoing it. If you're eating foods that contain protein throughout the day, it can be easier than you think to overshoot your goal. You may want to check if you need that extra protein shake your drinking every day. For tracking, I like using www.calorieking.com. I suggest tracking for about a 30-day period, once a year. If you want to check out my experience doing this, here is an older post of mine - Counting My Macros. ConclusionWhether you are bulking or cutting, protein is the macro that experts seem to stress the most. Below, I'll share what foods I typically eat in order to ensure I hit my protein goals. If you do find this post helpful, please share it along. Comment if you have any questions and subscribe to my blog here if you want to get alerted of new posts. Thank you for reading! Various Foods to Help Hit My Goals
My Typical Diet, Related to ProteinFor breakfast, I usually start with about 2 cups of yogurt (14g of protein).
For snacks, I usually have 4-6oz of mixed nuts and a Clif Bar or something similar (34-46g of protein total). For lunch and dinner, I usually have 8oz of one of the proteins listed above along with vegetables/starches to go along with it (~50g of protein for each). This brings my total protein to around 150g of protein per day. Since I am currently bulking at 170lb, I'm not worried as long as I hit somewhere around 0.8g/lb, or 135g per day. Some days I run out of certain snacks to eat or my meals change a bit but because my average day hits above that 0.8g/lb per day, I'm not worried. IntroWhen I first started lifting, the only way I could gauge if a program was good or not is how popular it was. If thousands of people swear by this program, it obviously works - at least for more people. The point of this post is to help you create/tweak your program by answering the following questions:
I'm sure you are like me and don't want to cut yourself short - you want to make sure you're not just spending time in the gym to spend time in the gym. You want to see gains in strength and muscle and reap the benefits as much as possible. The BasicsBen Greenfield, Mike Matthews, and Greg Nuckols suggest weightlifting programs that maximize full-body improvements. These programs include three different types:
Do My Workouts Include the Right Exercises?This is an important question to ask. If you aren't following a program and you simply "wing it" when you get into the gym, I strongly advise finding a program with a variety of good exercises. Programs have been made to ensure that you are hitting the right muscle groups enough and to show you how you should be splitting up your days to make sure you recover enough to build strength and muscle in the parts you want to. Ben Greenfield specifically coaches endurance athletes but in his book, Beyond Training, he suggests building muscle with multi-joint exercises like the overhead press, squat, deadlifts, cleans, and pull-ups (p. 103-104 - Beyond Training). Mike Matthews' programs, Bigger Leaner Stronger for men and Thinner Leaner Stronger for women, are both Push, Pull, Legs programs. Mike states that the Barbell Bench Press, Barbell Deadlift, Barbell Back Squat, and Overhead Press are the most important exercise in each workout session. Each week, your major focus is trying to progress on those lifts. You warm up and start out with those major lifts and then move on to accessory exercises like the Inclined Barbell Bench Press, Dumbbell Rows, Dumbbell Lateral Raises, Dumbbell Hammer Curls, and the Leg Press. In his BLS and TLS books, he provides plenty of variety for quality accessory exercises like these and categorizes the "best chest, back, shoulder, arms, core, and legs exercises you can do." Most of his programs' workouts end with a core or calf exercise (p. 257-267, 353-360 - Bigger Leaner Stronger). Greg Nuckols, as far as I know, does not have a named program but he has coached hundreds of people both in-person and online and he has broken multiple powerlifting world records himself. Through his research, Greg has shared plenty of articles and has spoken in multiple podcasts about what makes a good program. He usually gives specifics on Upper Body,Lower Body and Push, Pull, Legs programs. As a powerlifter, he normally programs with the same major lifts as Mike - Barbell Bench Press, Barbell Deadlift, and Barbell Back Squat. He also gives plenty of alternatives to these exercises. I have described this in a large section of a recent post where I went into depth on an episode of the Stronger By Science Podcast. Check that out here. Romanian Deadlifts, resisted push-ups, and front squats are some of the other exercises that he recommends (Stronger By Science Podcast - Q&A: Keto, Rapid Fat Loss, Deadlifts, and Faulty Movement Patterns). How Often Should I be Exercising Each Major Muscle Group?This question is not a very easy one because, from what I have read, it is very individual. Each person has different goals and each person's body reacts to lifts differently. Some people may need to do 30 hard sets with a specific muscle group to make any gains while some may only need 15. That being said, Ben, Mike, and Greg all go into specifics on this to describe what ranges work best for most people... Ben Greenfield, again, keep in mind that this is advice for endurance athletes, suggests strength training between 1-3 times per week. This is enough for you to enhance your coordination, motor-unit recruitment, and build some muscle (p. 103 - Beyond Training). Mike Matthews suggests training most major muscle groups once every 3-5 days but states that "when it comes to gaining muscle and strength, research shows that training frequency isn't nearly as important as how heavy the weights generally are and how many hard sets you generally perform each week (p. 232 - Bigger Leaner Stronger)." Greg Nuckols suggests anywhere between 15-25 sets per muscle group per week. If you are a beginner, you may want to start on the low side and see how you recover/progress and increase as needed. He goes further by recommending Push, Pull, Legs repeated twice per week (cycled push, pull legs, push, pull, legs) or an Upper Body, Lower Body three times per week, assuming your sets go pretty close to failure. If you want to maximize your strength gains in the main lifts, these are the specifics he gives:
Are My Workout Sessions Long Enough?I, personally, favor shorter workouts because I squeeze them into my busy schedule, usually before I leave for work. So do we need to be spending multiple hours in the gym or can we get by with a 30-45 minute workout? Here's what the experts I follow suggest... Ben Greenfield suggests either doing shorter, more frequent workouts or longer, less frequent workouts. If you prefer shorter, more frequent, he suggests somewhere in the range of 20-45 minutes per workout. If you prefer longer, less frequent, he suggests 50-70 minutes per workout (p. 106 - Beyond Training). Mike Matthews suggests 9-15 hard sets per workout with 2-4 minutes between sets, depending on the exercise. I am currently running my own verison of this program, using these recommendations, and workouts normally range from 35-65 minutes (p. 230 - Bigger Leaner Stronger). Greg Nuckols, I have not heard him give specifics regarding this question. He does state that he believes it depends on the intensity of your training. With lighter weights, you can get more volume in each session without getting tired but you will need to train longer to match muscle and strength gains compared to if you were working with heavier weights (p. 27-30 The Art of Lifting). ConclusionAlthough there is a lot of individuality, I believe what these experts have to share provides a lot of insight on the keys to a good weightlifting program. Greg Nuckols states that there is really one big question you should be asking yourself - "Am I making progress?" If you are progressing (adding weight to the bar on one lift or another each week), then you cannot say that the program you are on isn't working. Only when you plateau with about a month of no progression, should you make major adjustments. For minor adjustments, work inside the suggested ranges or try different exercises.
I trust these experts because of the experience they have coaching and researching. There are plenty of other great experts and programs that may not focus on the same major lifts or suggest the same things but the program may still work well for you. Don't discount what works best for yourself. I strongly recommend Ben Greenfield's Beyond Training, Mike Matthew's Bigger Leaner Stronger/Thinner Leaner Stronger, and Greg Nuckols' The Art & Science of Lifting. Each book has an audience they would help more than the other depending on your goals and what tips you are looking for. If you have any questions, please comment below. I also provide my email on my Contact page and you can also subscribe to this blog there to get notified of new posts! Lastly, please share this post if you found it helpful. Thank you for reading! Strength/resistance training is not the end-all/be-all of exercise. Cardio and strength training both have a wide variety of different benefits, and from my research, they are both just as important. No matter what your goals are, you are missing large benefits if you train one way and ignore the other. That being said, until I started strength training, I didn't know what I was missing. When I start my day with resistance training, I notice enormous improvements to my mood and energy for the rest of the day and I feel like I'm ready to tackle whatever decides to come at me. Even though most of my posts dig deeper into optimizing your training/nutrition, what is more important is the individuality - why it is important to you and what keeps you motivated to come back to the gym day after day. For this post, I decided to ask the following question in a Facebook Group and I want to share the wonderful anecdotes that I received... Here are several different of the answers that I received:
These are all answers from one Facebook Group. I'm sure there are hundreds of unique reasons. If you lift and you would like to add your reason to the list, take a minute and comment on this post! I love getting these answers and I hope these reactions "wow" you like they did for me. Whether you are male or female, 15 or 50+ years old, you are bound to reap the benefits, both physical and mental.
If you have any questions/comments, comment below! Also, if you enjoyed this post, please go to the Contact page and subscribe to get notified of new posts. IntroThis book review is actually on two separate books but they are bought together and they are meant to be read together as well. They are also meant to be read in that order - The Art of Lifting goes through what Greg Nuckols and Omar Isuf believe what should be general knowledge for coaches and everyone who lifts weights while The Science of Lifting goes into the research that less people are likely to be aware of if they have not gone through any courses or read any textbooks on Exercise Science. Both Omar and Greg are popular strength coaches that have helped hundreds of thousands of people through Omar's YouTube Channel and Greg's website, StrongerByScience.com (where these books are sold). The thing that these books do best is covering so many topics and getting right to the point. I've read multiple health and fitness books that repeat information over and over as if they're trying to brainwash you into accepting their theory as truth. Greg and Omar went completely counter to that - for instance, The Art of Lifting is only 108 pages but each of its 31 chapters has great nuggets of information for lifters. The Science of Lifting has slightly longer chapters but that is because they are explaining the science behind their suggestions. They also make it clear that the suggestions they give in these books are just that. They are providing what works for most people, most of the time but every individual is a bit different. You and your coach should be working to find what works best for you. The Art of LiftingThis book is broken up into two sections - "Stuff That Matters" and "Stuff That Doesn't Matter". Essentially, this "Stuff That Matters" are concepts that give you enough to get you 90% of your maximum results from training, covering topics like volume, intensity, sleep, individuality, and goals. For the "Stuff that Doesn't Matter," these are things that are talked about a lot in the fitness space but may only be beneficial if you want to be at the top of your game and you make your money by being a professional athlete, covering topics like clean eating, supplements, and optimizing your training. Here are some of what I found to be Greg and Omar's key tips found in this book:
The Science of LiftingThis book goes deep into several topics including meal frequency, training frequency, what positively affects gains (genetic factors, steroids), what negatively affects gains (outside stress), peaking fitness and performance, nutrition, and more. By using research and graphs to help explain, The Science of Lifting spells out what effects your strength and performance in the gym, and by just how much. Here are some of the nuggets that Greg and Omar included in this book:
ConclusionThese books are filled with valuable information are definitely worth reading, whether you are a beginner or intermediate-level lifter. With short chapters and lots of figures, they are easy to read and the knowledge that Greg and Omar share will help you figure out what is important for hypertrophy and strength gains.
This book pairs well with Mike Matthew's Bigger Leaner Stronger or Thinner Leaner Stronger. If you are thinking about getting into lifting, I strongly suggest reading BLS or TLS to get your way into a good program and then use The Art & Science of Lifting when/if you decide to make tweaks and improve your gains even more. The Art & Science of Lifting currently only comes as an e-book, and comes in a set for roughly $30. It is sold here. Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe here so you get notified of new posts! IntroProtein is, and I'm sure will always be, a hot topic in people who live any sort of active lifestyle - whether you are a weightlifter, bodybuilder, or a triathlete, you want to make sure you're getting the correct amount. Well, as much as people like to over-complicate it, experts who follow science as well as have decades of experience coaching have similar suggestions that are very simple. Let's break it down... Protein Needed for Building MuscleWhen you are bulking, extra benefits are rare above 0.8g/lb of bodyweight per day. For an easy target. shoot for 1g/lb or 2g/kg per day (Greg Nuckols, Mike Matthews, Ben Greenfield). Protein Needed While DietingWhen you are dieting, experts recommend that you get a little more protein - to aim for 1.1-1.3g/lb of bodyweight. This is just an extra 15-60g if you're between 150-200lb or 70-90kg (Greg Nuckols, Mike Matthews). General Advice on Protein
Conclusion/ResourcesThis is a very short post simply because there's not much to it. These three experts, who I have given general descriptions of below along with where the suggestions come from below, agree to very similar numbers from the research they have done.
In my next post, I will show how easy it is to get this amount of protein each day. 150g can sound like a lot as a goal but if you break down what you eat throughout the day, I find it very easy to obtain as long as I'm eating whole foods and getting a good variety of nuts, meat, dairy, etc. So look out for Part 2! Greg Nuckols of StrongerByScience.com is a well-respected powerlifter who is known for his science-based knowledge and his experience from coaching and from achieving multiple world records over his 10+ years experience of lifting. Information in this post that comes from Greg Nuckols specifically comes from p.50-51 of his book The Art of Lifting. Mike Matthews of LegionAthletics.com has helped hundreds of thousands reach their goals as beginner weightlifters through his books. He has several books but his flagship books and weightlifting programs are Bigger Leaner Stronger for men and Thinner Leaner Stronger for women. He also runs a successful supplement company, Legion Athletics, his podcast, Muscle For Life, and is known for his easy-to-follow science-based approach. Information in this post that comes from Mike Matthews specifically comes from p. 182 of his book Bigger Leaner Stronger. Ben Greenfield of BenGreenfieldFitness.com is a former triathlete and coach who is known for his knowledge on biomechanics, fitness technology, and longevity. He has written several (14 or 15) books, has hosted multiple top fitness podcasts, has been a multiple-time guest on Joe Rogan's podcast, and speaks all around the world at conferences in between when he is coaching athletes and CEOs, writing books, and writing in-depth articles. Information in this post that comes from Ben Greenfield specifically comes from p. 108 of his book, Beyond Training. Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this post, go subscribe to this blog on my Contact page. Also, if you have any questions/comments, please comment below and I will respond as quickly as I can. The expert that I am currently studying is Greg Nuckols. Greg is a well-known, record-breaking powerlifter who is not only a trusted strength coach but also a great resource through his website, strongerbyscience.com, where he shares advice on strength training through with his articles, books, podcast, and his monthly subscription, Monthly Applications in Strength Sport (MASS), where him and his colleagues share what they find from deep-diving into the scientific research on specific topics. Greg has done over 100 interviews for other podcasts and also has done several seminars. Impressive is an understatement for not even hitting 30 years old and having this large of a resume while also recently obtaining his Master's in Exercise Science. This post is to go over some great tips that he shares in one of his podcast episodes on The Stronger by Science Podcast. This podcast can be found here as well as places like Spotify and the Apple Podcast app. Tip 1: Better Tools Than the Big Three for Physique TrainingThis tip is interesting coming from a record-breaking powerlifter. He advises that if you are training for physique rather than competition, that there are better tools than the conventional barbell bench press, deadlift, and back squat. Here are his suggestions... Alternatives to the Back Squat:
Tip 2: The Power of PlanksIf you work an office job or are mostly sedentary, planks are a great way to warm-up before a workout to get the core tight and spine ready. Side planks, especially. Tip 3: Advice on Certifications and Reading for CoachingFor someone who wants to be a trainer, he gives basic tips on how to be a knowledgeable coach:
Tip 4: Being a Good StudentGreg gives multiple tips on how to improve your test-taking abilities and how to retain information that you study.
I wanted to share this episode because of the sheer amount and variety of great information. Greg is full of science research info and knowledge on training. I personally love the Big Three but I am going to take his lifting considerations and work more with resisted push-ups and the front squat. If I plan on giving any coaching advice myself rather than referencing experts, I will be sure to read the textbooks he suggested as well.
If you want to hear more advice from Greg, check out his website, strongerbyscience.com. The Stronger By Science Podcast and his monthly subscription, MASS, are both great resources for people interested in the science behind strength training. Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this, please subscribe on my Contact page. IntroJust like a guitar gets out of tune after a while, so do we with our goals. Personally, I seem to cling to 2 or 3 goals and lose sight of the others after a few months. I would not say they are more important; some goals need more attention and daily commitment so they are on my mind every day. This post is to take information from Michael Hyatt's book Your Best Year Ever along with Warren Buffet's 5/25 Rule, which seem to compliment each other. If you do not know Warren Buffet's method and you have never written your goals down, my post Setting Goals (Warren Buffet, Jordan Pederson) is more for you. Michael Hyatt's method of revising/assessing goals compliments Warren Buffet's method nicely. Hyatt recommends realigning your goals every quarter and either rejoicing, recommitting, revising, removing, or replacing your past goals. To be honest, yesterday was the first time I tuned my goals since July of last year but I feel Hyatt gave me the tools to do this the right way so I would like to share it with you: Step 1: List Your Past GoalsEven if you have them written down somewhere else, write them down again. As you write them down, you will start assessing in your head how you've progressed on that goal, especially if it is a goal that was not being addressed daily. Step 2: Assess How You DidThis is possibly the most crucial step. Take each goal that you listed in Step 1 and evaluate in a short paragraph whether you reached your goal, still making good progress, if that goal is still an important one to you, etc. Maybe that goal is no longer even relevant. This step will get you thinking on what you can adjust - maybe you need to take things up a notch or maybe that goal was unrealistic. Step 3: Find Potential New GoalsThis is the most exciting part, at least for me, and there are many ways to go about this. As I mentioned before, I take Warren Buffet's 5/25 and Michael Hyatt's method and throw them in a blender. The biggest difference is that Buffet's method has 5 different categories (health and fitness, career, lifestyle, relationship, and education while Hyatt uses 10. They are similar, Hyatt's categories are just more specific. So yesterday, I started by using Hyatt's LifeScore Assessment. This 5-10 minute quiz is a great way he created to help you realize what areas of your life you are doing well in and what areas need improvement. Here is what mine looks like (ignore the Parental section, I purposely failed because I am not currently a parent and so it does not apply to me). I took this information and realized that I should be working on the Avocational (hobbies), Social, and Spiritual areas of my life and brainstormed ideas for how I can bring improvement to those areas. For example, one goal idea was to find a gym that I enjoy going to or a club that includes one of my hobbies - this would improve both Avocational and Social. For Spiritual, one idea was to add more reflection to my morning ritual. Currently, I read the daily reading from The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday but I could add a minute or two to reflect afterward. Step 4: Create a List of New GoalsThis is where you take Step 2 and Step 3 to compile your new goals. Write down all your revised goals and all your new goals in one list. My full list included 9 goals. Half of these goals have a deadline (like the end of this year) and the rest are things that I could work on in general like re-establishing old relationships and improving the relationships I currently have (this is generalizing, my goals are more specific than that). Step 5: Narrow and Prioritize Your GoalsIt's important to take a seriously look at the list you created in Step 4 and figuring out what goals matter most. I wish that I could accomplish all 9 goals but some I had to say "maybe next year" to. Experts advise not spreading yourself too thin - personally, having 5 or 6 goals is plenty for me. ConclusionThis overall process took me approximately 2 hours to complete yesterday but it was time well spent. I plan to take Michael Hyatt's advice of assessing goals quarterly - I may just do Step 1 and 2 if things are going well and I don't see myself setting new goals and do this full process at least once per year. I also decided to write down my finalized list of goals and place it in the book I read each morning so that I spend a minute to look at all of my goals each morning and think of what I can do that day to get closer to reaching them.
If you find this approach helpful, please let me know in the comments! With the COVID-19 situation we have currently, this is a fantastic time for reflecting and setting goals for your future. Thank you all for reading and if you enjoyed this post, please share it and sign up for my email list through the Contact page. IntroLet me start out by saying this post is based off of my opinions. I am not an expert by any means but have found what works for me. Everyone's route is different. Personally, I am not used to going to a gym outside of my home. Mornings are my favorite time to work out and it never seemed logical or practical for me to get to the gym before working my usual 8-5. It's much easier and actually helps me get up in the morning when I know I can throw shorts and a t-shirt on, walk downstairs, and be working out in less than 5 minutes. I've noticed that hitting the bench press, deadlift, or squat first thing in the morning before I go off to work makes me much more energetic throughout the morning and sets a good mood for the day. I believe there are only a few things that are essential in a home gym and here they are: 1. BarbellThis is the most important item that everyone should have in a home gym. The main lifts - The Big Three: the bench press, deadlift, and squat all revolve around the barbell. These are known to be the most effective compound lifts. You can do similar work with kettlebells and dumbbells but those are mostly used for accessory work that focus on certain muscle groups. 2. BenchWhile you can do floor presses with dumbbells, I would say that the Bench Press is an essential exercise. A bench also opens up a lot more exercises like the inclined bench press and a spot to do kettlebell rows, dips, etc. I suggest having a bench that allows you to do leg exercises as well. 3. DumbbellsThere is a reason that dumbbells have been so popular for so long: they are great for working specific muscle groups and the movements are easy to figure out. Curls, Lateral Raises, and the Overhead Press all have their place and specifically strengthen your biceps, triceps, delts, traps, and shoulders which, in the end, also help improve your bench press, deadlift, and squat as well. 4. KettlebellThe kettlebell is my favorite tool used for accessory work because of the variety of workouts and the element of endurance with most movements. Many people have never picked up a kettlebell and have never heard of Kettlebell Swings, Kettlebell Clean & Jerks, Turkish Getups, or the Goblet Squat but I think that these exercises are important to learn and they also make workouts fun. One important thing to note with kettlebells is the common but good advice to start small. Personally, I started with a 35lb kettlebell and did not get another one until I could do high reps with good form. Now I use a 70lb for Kettlebell Rows and Goblet Squats, 50lb for Clean & Jerks and One-handed Swings, and 35lb for Turkish Getups. To me, kettlebells naturally feel great to pick up and exercise with and are an absolute essential. ConclusionThis may seem like a lot if you are a beginner but it really is not. If you do not have the $200-300 to get all of this, start small and work your way to getting each of the essentials. You only need a small room as well. Preferably, set aside a room specifically for working out that you can play music, start the stopwatch, and get down to business.
From here, there are of course other things like the squat rack, rowing machine, pull-up bar, and other things that are great additions to your home gym that open up more options but these 4 things, I believe, should be the core because they will form the majority of your workout program. Thank you for reading! If you have any questions, looking for suggestions, or have suggestions of your own, please comment below. Also, please share this post with friends - in this time, especially, with gyms closed and people asked to stay home, now is a great time to set up a home gym and start working on yourself right at home. Go to my Contact page to subscribe to the blog and be notified of new posts! |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
March 2024
Categories
All
|