Required reading for everyone I train
Published: 2022-02-24
(Last updated 2024-08-27)
The following article is a list of things I have all of the lifters I train read regardless if they’re powerlifters, Olympic weightlifters or any other type of lifter. If I were to train you I would require you to read it as well. Feel free to make use of it. If you’re a trainer, feel free to adapt and share it with the people you train.
Table of Contents
Warming up
Warmups are done with the particular lift you’re warming up for. Start with just the bar unless you’re very strong and gradually add weight. While warmup is an individual thing, most people should avoid doing many reps and instead do more sets.
Practice the warmups like they’re heavy, that is use correct tension and technique.
If something “hurts” determine if it actually hurts and isn’t just bothering you.
- If it’s bothering you, do another set. If it gets better from set to set, don’t worry about it. If it gets worse, stop doing it and move on to the next part of the program.
- If it’s hurting you, stop doing it and move on to the next part of the program.
- If you’re injured, see a doctor. If you’re not injured, train.
Article: Warm-ups - an in-depth look at different ways to prepare for your work sets.
The training session
You don’t need a calculator for percentages. There’s no magic in percentages and close enough is good enough.
If the lifts are easy and the program doesn’t explicitly state you should add weight or do more reps or sets – don’t. It’s probably light for a reason.
If the program states you should avoid failure, avoid failure and stop the reps even if you don’t get the prescribed amount. Don’t compensate by dropping weight and doing more reps unless explicitly stated.
If the program calls for rep maxes and you stop because of your head rather than because of your muscle (“it feels heavy”) you’re wasting the set and I will curse you and probably “educate” you in the future until you understand the difference between muscular failure and mental failure.
Not doing the maximal amount of volume when there’s a range of sets and reps in program doesn’t mean you failed the session. It’s a range and it’s a range for a reason.
For accessory lifts where weight isn’t prescribed you should lift with significant effort, typically to where form breaks down. That means if the program calls for 6 reps you should use a weight where 6 reps is what you can do and not 10. If there’s a range, say 6-10, you pick a weight where you can do approximately those amount of reps and stop when form breaks down, not at arbitrary numbers (“I’m going to do 4 * 8”). If you could do more reps you picked the wrong weight and should increase it next session. If several sets are noted you should pick a weight you can use for all sets and reps.
RTFM!↗ Eh, RTFP(rogram).
Personal bests
If you attempt a personal best (PB) without it being planned and you make it, I won’t be mad and I will congratulate you. If you attempt a PB when you weren’t supposed to but fail it you’re wasting both of our times and screwing up your training. In other words, be responsible if you stray off the path.
Most of the time only take small PB’s and never tie your current one. Tieing your current PB doesn’t accomplish much and more often than not knocks you out for an actual new best. Take a weight slightly lower and one slighty higher.
Never attempt two PB’s in the same lift at the same session unless your current one is very low for some reason.
Your PB’s no longer count if they’re more than a year old or if you’ve been away from training for a long time (months). Get them out of your head and start anew, for your own psychological well-being.
Outside factors
Tell me about any injuries or nagging issues to make sure we can fix it or avoid doing dangerous things. DOMS is neither an injury nor a nagging issue and if you complain about it I will laugh.
If you’ve spent months or even years doing “corrective exercises” to fix issues, they’re not fixing anything. Go to a doctor if you’re injured, not a physical therapist.
If you’re a woman and have PMS it’s perfectly fine to skip any heavy (>90%) lifts or rep maxes. In fact, I’d urge you to be very cautious with heavy lifts during this time as the risk of injury is often significantly greater and it’s just not worth it.
Lack of progress in the vast majority of cases is due to not recovering from the rest of life. I can’t guarantee results if you:
- Don’t eat properly, i.e. training in the morning before breakfast, or run around stressed all day, skip lunch, had a sandwich for breakfast as your only meal, and train in the evening.
- Don’t sleep at least 7 hours per day (8 is likely better).
- Have a very negative “everything sucks”-attitude.
All of the above take priority over any fancy training program. Take control of your life. If you’re dealing with serious mental- or emotional issues you need to let me know because we need to adjust the training.
You likely need to eat more, at least if you're a competitive lifter. Yes, you! Eat more if you’re staying at the same bodyweight for months and your body composition isn’t changing (i.e. more muscle, less fat).
Don’t expect to gain strength if you’re dropping weight.
Last and certainly not least: a thinking lifter is a bad lifter – empty your mind.
All of these things are rules and can therefore be broken by me if the circumstances call for it. Most of the time they won’t.
Get help
StrengthDB↗. Written instructions for many lifts (still being updated). I created this resource for people I train, from beginners to world class athletes. I simply couldn’t trust whatever nonsense they found on whatever blog or in whatever video. It’s free, loads fast, and without spammy ads.
Workshops (in-person) where I help people with proper technique.
Training (online) for regular folks who want to be strong for life, as well as competitive lifters and other athletes.