6 Strength Training Tips That You Should Always Follow
Strength training shouldn’t be hard. Check out these 6 tips that you can implement into your training TODAY!
1. Don’t be afraid of the ‘big four’
Ya know, the squat, deadlift, bench press, and shoulder press? Your training should have a focus on one ‘big lift’ with accessory or assistance lifts sprinkled in between. My best advice is to maintain a lifting schedule with a push, pull, press, squat, hinge, and carry movement (one might even argue a gait but that’s another post!)
2. Barbell is king, dumbbell is queen, everything else cycles in between
Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses. Forget the fad equipment and go back to the basics. Start your workout with your barbell lift then move to dumbbell and bodyweight training. There is a time and place for everything else but those ‘other things’ should not be apart of your every day strength training.
3. Keep it simple stupid
In rare cases rep speed and other factors are important to take into account. And if you’re a specialized athlete, then your training will differ from the regular Joe. But, don’t over-complicate your training by trying to do it all each week. I’m talking about long workouts, HIIT every day, using alllll the equipment. Forget it. Pick your core favorites and stick to them! Focus on proper form during your reps and then consistently increasing your load over time.
4. Maintain a log of your lifts
Stop guessing at what you are doing. Log your weights, sets, reps, etc. and strive to improve those numbers based on your goals.
5. Consistency is key to long-term success
You can’t expect to make progress in your strength if you aren’t consistent. Be intentional. Be specific. And get after it! Focus on one goal at a time and circle back to the basics.
6. Balance your training
The rule of thumb: whatever you do on one side of your body, you must do on the other side. If you are working squats on the barbell (quad focused), don’t neglect adding some deadlifts in with dumbbells (hamstring focused). You can also train by adding in complimentary workouts that week. For instance, follow the ratio of 2:1 with your pulling and pushing movements.
