Learn the Principles
Patience
" Do you have patience to wait until your mud settles and your water is clear?" - Lao Tzu
Long term success in health and fitness relies on a faith in the virtue most often forgotten, patience. There is no secret in the methods and principles of training that can't be found and researched with the access we have in today's world. But the answers you find when you dig deep enough are the ones you may be least prepared to apply. The first principle is to stay the course and trust the process. Small changes in weight and difficulty of movements are there to allow the body to ADAPT. If you jump too quickly into high intensity and heavy weight you'll be rewarded only with injury and an even longer route to your goal that has to first include rehab and recovery. Find the right steps to take you to where you want to go.
At Home Workouts
As we find ourselves quarantined due to the outbreak of the Covid -19 virus it’s important to remember a few principles of how to progress at home workouts.
There are tons and tons of options online right now of movements/workouts to do but make sure you’re doing them with a purpose. 9 times out of 10 at home workouts just turn into aerobic workouts disguised as strength training. Without the external loads we have at the gym it’s easy to just look at numbers of reps and see it as the end goal. Aerobic work is an important piece but focus on the right principles and you’ll see a much greater return on your efforts and maintain your fitness/strength through these isolated times.
Hierarchy of Nutrition
Fat loss and muscle growth are heavily dependent on nutrition. Make sure the food you eat is supporting your goals. If your goal is Fat Loss, eat fewer calories than you burn. Play the long game here. Gutting 1000 Calories below your target day is only going to stress your body and mind to the point of exhaustion and slow down or derail your progress.
Find your maintenance calories and stay 300-500 max below that a day. Eat high quality foods and focus on consistent meal times to build good habits.
If your goal is muscle gain, find your maintenance calories and add 300-500 calories. Start here and adjust accordingly after 2-3 weeks depending on how your body responds. Don't get caught up in the hype of supplement companies claims. Stick with real food first and consistency will pay off.
Strength Continuum
Resistance training works on a continuum. You either produce a high amount of force at a low velocity (think a very heavy deadlift) or you produce a low amount of force at a very high velocity (think 40m dash). Somewhere in the middle lies the highest production of power (force x velocity)
It is a common thought that moving light weights fast is easier for the beginner than moving heavy weights slow. However, what is often overlooked is HOW that person is moving the light weights quickly. It’s often very hard to correct form/mechanics at speed and it continues to ingrain poor movement patterns that can lead to injury. For the general population, absolute strength provides the greatest return on investment for longevity (increased bone density, smaller loss of muscle mass while aging).