I think one of the most interesting approaches you can do to understand where you are in your fitness journey is reflecting back on previous times in your life when you sorta had ground breaking moments that forever change the way you approach fitness and or nutrition. Since i have been training for about 10 years now i have pretty much experimented with every type of training there is for some time or another. I have done circuit programs, i have done cardio programs, i have done strength and powerlifting programs, I have done yoga programs, i have done lots of different types of bodybuilding training types and i even did some CrossFit in my life. Going through all these different training stages have taught me a ton and through the years i have discovered certain approaches that worked better than others. These are 10 things i wish i knew about training and nutrition when i first stated lifting that could have made my life a whole lot easier or at least more effective.
I Don’t Regret What I Did Previously
Look i know i have done some really stupid things in my training in the past. I don’t argue that at all. I mean Doing Insanity at one time and all those crazy circuit programs i did really provided no benefit to me other than cardiovascular, I know i lost a lot of solid training years spending time on worthless types of programs that really did more harm than good. So you ask if i regret doing those types of training and the answer is no. For all the types of bad training i put myself through previously. I learned a SHIT TON. All that i learned i also was able to better help people reach there goals because i learned what to do and more importantly what not to do. Sure i may have been able to bench 315lbs by now if i would have been training right all these years but then i also would not have learned everything that i learned through my fitness journey that all together made me a more knowledgable person and coach. I also would have never met some of the awesome people that i know these days if i had never done some of those programs.
Learn From This But Don’t Just Go By It
As you read todays article i don’t want you to think that what i say today is the only way to go about your own training. I'm writing this today because i would have loved to know this stuff 10 years ago when i first started training and i’m hoping i can help some people out there maybe going through the same situations and those that are looking for help and better ways to possibly go about their training.
10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Lifting
1. Follow A Periodized Program
When i first started training i had no idea what periodization even was. I had no idea it even existed, I just thought you show up at the gym and lift some stuff for some reps and sets and call it a day. Little did i know that periodization was the key to long term gains and success. Periodization for those of you that don’t know is in short - spending different time periods with different goals and properly ordered training styles. Its hard to explain without going into detail but for example 5/3/1 is a program with periodization, also Layne Nortons PH3 uses periodization. Pretty much any program on bodybuilding.com also has a system of periodization built in to it. For example a simple periodization would be for bench press maybe
week 1 5 sets of 5 (80%)
week 2 4 sets of 4 (85%)
week 3 3 sets of 3 (90%)
week 4 De-load 3x5 (75%)
then repeat the next 4 weeks with about 2% raise on weight lifted each week. The cycle then continues. This is a beginner Linear progression but anyone can benefit from proper periodization. There is also non linear progression but thats a topic for another time.
2. You Don't Need To Destroy Yourself In The Gym
This one took me forever to learn. I remember the days i would not stop my training till i was trashed and on the floor out of breath. I thought that was how you trained properly, I thought the main point of training was burning calories. Wow was i wrong on so many levels. Your training should not destroy you. It may seem like it should but if your training session today effects tomorrows training in a negative way then you are training way too hard. Now I'm not saying never to train to failure, I'm saying use your brain and train smarter not necessarily harder. Stop a couple reps short on your main sets, maybe hit like an RPE 8 most of the time (learn about RPE Scale Here) If you are constantly hitting RPE 10 then thats a sign you are going to hard. There are times in a properly periodized program that you will be hitting RPE 10 but the majority of the time you should be at most hitting around an RPE 8 (meaning you have about 2 reps left in the tank per set.) You should not finish a workout and then be so drained that your mentally not even looking forward to the next day. You can train like that for a while but sooner or later it will catch up with you and you will either get demotivated or injured or both!
A good rule to follow is when you train today remember what you have to do the rest of the week and adjust your training accordingly. For example DON’T DO THIS!
monday you have to hit a 5x5 on squat
wednesday you have to hit a 4x8 on squat
So monday you do your 5x5 but on your last set you decide to do a triple drop set and train to failure. Well guess what your not going to be hitting your numbers for the rest of the week, you pretty much just shot your self in the foot.
Follow the program and leave failure training for later on in the week before your rest days and not on every exercise.
Are your workouts constantly beating you into the ground? Check out This article 5 rules every natural lifter should follow and start training smarter!
3. Eat In A Surplus of Calories for Several Years Straight
Yes I said years not months like a lot of people generally say. I talked about this a few weeks ago (read here) but once again this is something that i really wished i had known from the start as it would made my life so much easier and training so much more effective.
So when i first started training 10 years ago i went through many stages when it came to nutrition. I was paleo for a while and terrified of carbs, i was vegetarian at one time (WHAT!?!?) you name the type of “Diet” and i at one time or not tried it. I also went through times thinking the objective was to train as hard as possible while eating as little as possible LOL. It made no sense and i realize how dumb that was now but it was a learning curve. Also when i finally started to understand to eat more i also thought that every time you gained body fat you had to switch to cutting and go back and forth between cutting and bulking every 4-6 weeks- another LOL. Seriously i realize now how dumb that was and why i never made any gains for a long time. It wasn't till about 5 years into training i found out that staying in a steady suplus and not minding some fat gain was the key to long terms gains. After i fiigured out that gaining some fat was alright and actually allowed my training to go so much better and get more stronger i finally started to understand that just a flexible dieting system of following a set macro target (learn about setting up your macro target here) and a steady 3 year surplus was the key i had been looking for for so long. Train hard, eat a lot & recover- It’s not rocket science! Imagine that!
4. Lift Heavier Weights For Lower Reps A Couple Times A Week
5 years into training was also the time i found Layne Norton online and learned about Power Hypertrophy Adaptation Training also known as PHAT. Learning that system changed my life and it is always my fall back way to training whenever I'm in a rut because to put simply it works and it has worked for everyone i have coached as well. It really was a genius system (not program) designed. Anyway though the point of telling you that was that PHAT introduced me to lifting heavier in the beginning of the week and lifting lighter later in the week (otherwise known as a form of non-linear periodization). This blend of training while fun is also super effective for building size and strength. I used to always think anything under 8 reps was worthless... wow was i wrong. Lifting in the 1-5 rep range some days and other days mess around with the higher reps was something that finally allowed me to make some long term gains and not just that but training like that also taught me how to periodize my own programs correctly to allow for long term gains. Don’t be afraid of pushing the lower rep ranges it will make you stronger in the long run on your higher rep stuff too. Take home message? Train ALL rep ranges!
5. Abs Don't Need 20 Minutes A Day
I had to laugh about this one as i typed it because i remember the days i would get up at 6am and train abs for 20 minutes before going to work and then after my workout i would train them again for 15-20 min and that was every day!!!!!! Man i could have made my life so much easier if i knew that the majority of your abs come from compound lifts like squats and deadlifts and just using proper bracing while lifting and maybe doing abs for 5 min at the end of a workout 3 days a week. Wow my life would have been so much easier. Simply put your abs don’t need a lot of direct work as long as you are training some compound lifts in the week. Front squats for example have built my abs way more than crunches.
6. De-load Every 4th to 6th week
Back in my days of P90X i learned this well with the transition week that was built into the program but after awhile i kinda stopped de-loading and every 5th or 6th week i was always loosing motivation and just feeling very burnt out. Well then i went back to what i had learned in my P90X days and that was to de-load every 4th to 6th week. Every 4th week to maximize training strength and motivation and every 6th week if i wanted to purposely overreach for a while and peak for a certain lift. Those numbers are not set in stone but for me i found them to work well. P90x really was one of the best ways i used to train because it taught me beginner periodization that i still use to this day (periodization - theres that word again!)
Looking for a Properly Periodized Block Program? Check out my SHDUPA Strength and Size Program.
7. Fasting Really Works For Me Personally
This one is mainly just for me but it might work for you too so you never know if you don’t try. I used to be really against fasting. I used to be one of the guys that said “you will loose all your gains if you don’t eat every couple hours., not eating is dumb!” Again WOW was that a dumb thing to say. 6 years later i have been fasting for anywhere from 12-18 hours a day and i love it and still love it to this day. For me fasting works really well for my lifestyle and allows me a clear mind the majority of the day and allows me plenty of food around my training times when i need it. Fasting might be something that works for you or it might not, you never know if you don't try it.
8. Taking A Properly Dosed Pre Workout Makes A World of Difference
I remember the days i would take C4 and other crazy caffeine pre workouts, i also remember the days i would constantly buy the new top of the line pre workout and never look at the ingredients........ Finally i found out that what you do take pre workout actually makes a ton of difference. For me i found these to be essential parts of my pre workout;
- 5 grams of creatine (for strength and pump)
- 5 grams glutamine (for recovery and proper digestion)
- 6 grams of citrulline malate (For endurance and strength)
- 4 grams of BCAA's (for energy, strength, stamina & endurance)
- 1/2 tsp of himalayan pink sea salt (for stamina and electrolyte balance)
- 200mcg Huperzine A (for focus & Enhanced Cognitive Function)
- 200mg of caffeine (for energy and focus)
these for me are must haves to have before i train and make a world of difference for my performance.
9. Sodium Is A True Gift From God
If you know me i eat a ton of sodium. My sodium levels are way higher than anyone would pretty much recommend but for me once i started to over salt my food, Add sodium rich condiments, eat nitrate free lunch meat pre workout, and add himalayan sea salt to my water, i started to feel like a new person. My pumps were tremendous, my energy was stable, I achieved a clearer mind throughout the day, Cravings disappeared. For me i noticed only positives and no negatives. My blood pressure is around normal for me as well so for me i'm going to keep doing what I'm doing because for me it works. Now if you have any history of cardiac problems i would not recommend this but if you drink a lot of water and have a healthy heart, try experimenting with more salt. It might make you feel incredible who knows!
10. Have An Open Mind And Don't Be Afraid To Try New Approaches
This last one is so important, I think many of us struggle with thinking our approach is right and it is the only way we should do things and never experiment with other methods. If i had followed that i would have never got to where i am these days with my fitness goals & knowledge i have achieved in this field. I might have tried a lot of dumb approaches in the past but from those i learned what to do and what not to do.while i did try a lot of dumb stuff there is quite a bit of stuff that i tried and still use to this day that i never would have found otherwise if i had never decided to try it. Take fasting for example, i used to talk so bad about it and at that time i had never tried it. After i gave it 30 days i decided i liked it and now 6 years later i still fast to this day. The point is keep an open mind and don't be afraid to experiment with different training styles, approaches, or even nutrition. There is a saying that the best thing for you right now is the thing your not currently doing and i think there is a good point to that. Don't get so stuck in your head that everything your doing right now is the right and perfect way. Be ok with being a scientist and experimenting on your self.
Learn From The Past To Better Your Future
Everything we integrate and go through in our life will eventually lead us to being a better, smarter version of ourself. There is no one way to go through life and there is no one way to the finish line. Experiment, try new things, Make note of what works and what is trash. Throw out the trash and keep the hidden gems you discover and use it to better yourself and your life. If you guys enjoyed this weeks blog let me know and feel free to share on your social media as i would greatly appreciate it. Talk to you guys next week!
Stay Strong,
Shawn Fausey
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- Shawn Fausey is the Founder and CEO of Fausey's Fitness. With Over 6 years experience in Bodybuilding, Powerlifting and Nutrition. Shawn offers services of online fitness coaching, programing and consulting. Shawn is also a Graphic Designer and can be reached for graphic services on www.rev-graphics.com
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