My Biggest Training Mistake #1

I've been lifting weights consistently for over a decade. During this time, I've made A LOT of mistakes. Over the few months, I'll share a few things I wished I known from the beginning. 

1️⃣  Weight progression is not forever linear.

When a novice begins lifting, they’ll be able to add weight to the bar almost every time they perform an exercise. This can last upwards of 6+ months. Once a lifter transitions from a novice to an intermediate level, the ability to add weight to the bar with each workout decreases. What used to be a daily occurrence, now becomes a weekly to monthly process.

If a lifter is unaware of this natural progression, they become frustrated with their progress and essential attempt to force weights that aren't there. The technique breaks down, joints accumulate stress & the bodies is at a greater risk for injury. In my specific case, this led to unnecessary injuries that ultimately set me back. When I say set back, I mean years. Years of spinning my tires. I’d hate for you to experience the same thing.

When weight no longer increases with each workout, don’t get frustrated. Instead, recognize that progression comes in several forms. With myself and clients, I like to emphasize improvements in technique, recovery between sets, velocity, contraction quality, changes in appearance and more. This will give you other things to celebrate while your body is preparing it self for load progressions to come.

In the day of social media, it might seem like everyone is making progress each workout which is a false representation of reality. Many popular fitness influencers do this to drive supplement, program and coaching sales. Don’t buy into it. If you have a coach or program your own training, trust in the process, be consistent with your training, nutrition and sleep, don’t rush the process and good things will happen.