When you have been lifting weights regularly for a few years, you realize how much you have progressed and how many things that you know today would have been very useful to you when you started. That's why today we bring you everything you need to know, yes or yes, if you are starting out in this world of weights. And if you already have some experience, we recommend that you continue reading in case there is something new for you.
Obviously, no one knows everything and the only way to advance and improve is through practice, trial and error. That's the beauty of exercise and strength training: keep learning and growing. You should never be complacent with what you know. Buy books, read articles, ask professionals, because that attitude will only benefit you.
1. Just because you notice improvements does not mean that you are doing an exercise well.
Being able to increase your muscle mass does not mean that you are performing the movements correctly. Proper form and technique are essential to preventing injuries and maximizing the benefits of your training.
Sometimes it's easier to focus on lifting more weight or doing more reps and lose sight of the importance of proper technique. Correcting small adjustments to your form may make exercises more challenging and difficult at first, but will benefit you in the long run in terms of strength, safety, and injury prevention.
Patience and focus on the quality of movements are essential for safe and sustainable progress in fitness training.
2. Mobility work is extremely important.
If you only dedicate your training routine to lifting weights you will become bigger, stronger and much stiffer, something that will limit you in many weight room exercises and also in your personal life.
Mobility refers to the ability to move your joints through their full range of motion , and is therefore especially relevant for exercise execution and injury prevention. Having a balance between strength and mobility is essential for optimal performance and to avoid muscle imbalances that can lead to injury, and although improving mobility can take time and effort, consistency and patience are essential.
If you don't know much about mobility, do some research. Thoracic spine mobility, shoulder mobility, hip mobility, ankle mobility, the list goes on and on. Look for people like Kelly Starrett, Eric Cressey, Matthew Ibraham and others. They all have YouTube channels and their attention to detail regarding range of motion, stability, and mobility are some of the most useful and insightful pieces of information you can find.
It is important to remember that mobility is highly individual. What works for one person may not work as well for another. Experimenting with different exercises and approaches is key to finding what works best for your body and your specific goals.
3. Don't underestimate the importance of warming up.
It seems obvious, right? Well no, most people do not warm up before starting their exercises and many times those who do, do so in a useless manner.
It's not uncommon to see people walk into the gym, do a couple of shoulder circles, and then start exercising. We've all done the same thing, however, once you start adding dynamic warm-ups and mobility/pre-rehabilitation exercises before lifting weights, you start to notice a huge difference.
An effective warm-up can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your training since:
- They help increase blood flow to your muscles preparing your body for the intense work that will follow.
- Improves the range of motion in the joints and the flexibility of the muscles, making it easier to execute movements correctly and reducing the risk of injury.
- It helps activate the muscles you plan to work during your training session by ensuring those muscles are "awake" and ready for effort.
Consider the exercises you will do each day and work on those areas before hitting the weights. A proper warm-up can improve your performance during your workout, allowing you to lift more weight or do more repetitions with proper technique.
4. Compound movements are “the rod”.
Compound movements work multiple muscle groups at the same time and are a fundamental part of any effective training program, which can make a big difference to the way you look and feel. Once you switch to the Push/Pull/Leg splits, you really notice a change in the body.
Reduces insulation work. Focus on exercises that really challenge your strength, stability and coordination. Pull ups, chin ups, incline rows, squats, deadlifts, RDLs, overhead presses, bench/incline bench, push-ups, dips, cleans, snatches, etc. Those are the exercises that should make up the majority of your workouts. Find ways to make them harder if you already master them. Not only will your strength increase, but you will look much better.
It's important to remember that variety is key in any training program, so it may also be beneficial to incorporate isolation exercises to specifically target certain muscles. The key is to find a balance that suits your personal goals and needs.
5. Kettlebells are awesome.
Although I personally avoided kettlebells for a long time until a few years ago, they allow you to do some slightly wacky moves that will challenge your body in a thousand ways.
Kettlebell swings would be at the top of my list for these types of moves. Not only are they great for glute strength/power, but they have a pull effect to show proper hip hinge mechanics and are a great tool to add for high intensity conditioning.
Turkish get-ups, windmills, one-arm presses, goblet squats (great for beginners), and many other exercises that challenge your limits in a unique way. If you haven't tried training with kettlebells, I recommend you start now.
6. Cardio is not a burden.
After the trend of doing long-duration routines on treadmills, ellipticals, stair climbers and stationary bikes that dominated fitness culture for decades, has come the trend of giving 0 value to any cardio exercise and eliminating any exercise in some form of training. of these machines to focus solely on bodybuilding exercises.
Circuits and HIIT are really valuable if you want to do cardiovascular work. Not only is it faster, but it's much less boring and much more fun and effective. Some exercise ideas to do for your conditioning: Prowler pushes, kettlebell swings, rowing intervals, ball punches (both forward and side to side), plyometric work, speed ladders, tire flips, mountain climbers, box jumps, sprints, battle ropes, jumping rope, sled pulling (with a rope, working mainly the back), etc. These will not only knock you out, but will also work your entire body instead of just your legs. The possibilities are endless.
7. Discipline and a training program are a big part of success.
If your workouts consist of walking around the gym and meandering from one exercise to the next, you may get beat up, but how do you know if you've actually made any progress? When you follow a pre-written routine, you go to the gym with a mission. You know what you are going to do, how many times and how much weight you are going to use.
Some days you come in feeling sluggish, but if you have a routine in place, you know you have to finish what you have written. Otherwise, you would probably shorten your training. Tracking your progress keeps you prepared and prevents you from cheating. Looking back at your numbers and seeing them increase is an incredible feeling. Look for programs like 5/3/1, starting strength, PHAT... to name a few. Or, if you feel competent enough, write your own. Take pictures of your evolution. Track your numbers. It is essential to achieve your goals.
8. Study your damn anatomy.
Although it may be boring, once you learn where each bone is, where your muscles originate and insert, etc., then you will start to look at exercises in a whole new way.
These things can change the way you lift and help you pay more attention to your technique . For example, do you know that the pectoralis major muscle inserts into the humerus (a bone in the arm)? This means that when you keep your arms close to your body during certain exercises, the activation of the pectoral muscles is limited. In many pressing exercises, such as the bench press, chest press, and push-ups, moving the elbows away from the body can allow for greater range of motion and greater activation of the pectoralis major.
Having basic notions of anatomy will help you optimize and get the most out of your training in addition to understanding many things. Discover the function of each muscle or which muscles contribute to elbow/shoulder/hip/knee extension and flexion, and you will learn many new things. Look for websites like getbodysmart.com that have excellent illustrations of muscle function and location.
9. Yes, nutrition and sleep are as important as people think they are.
I know it's obvious and everyone has more than heard it, but it must be emphasized. Simply Google the benefits of sleep; If you don't know them, you're going to be amazed by all the people they are.
About nutrition... well, more than an entire trilogy could be written on that topic alone. You must make this a priority above everything else . If you have your eating habits on point, everything else will come relatively easily. Don't underestimate its importance.
10. Respiratory mechanics are important.
And no, I'm not talking about the typical exhale when performing concentric contractions and inhale during eccentric contractions. Most of us breathe with our chests, when we actually need to use our diaphragms .
Diaphragm breathing involves inhaling deeply, filling your lungs from the bottom, and then exhaling completely. This allows for better oxygenation of the muscles and greater core stability during exercises.
Learning to breathe with your diaphragm and applying proper breathing mechanics can significantly improve the quality of your workouts and reduce the risk of injury. It may be helpful to search for online resources on Google or YouTube by saying: “Proper breathing mechanics and settings.”
