by Geoff Neupert
Trap #1: Working out for too long with too much volume.
It’s really easy to get caught in the “more is better” trap with KBs.
There are all types of “challenge workouts” out right now, and although I’m up for a good challenge sometimes, how about just the challenge of actually picking a goal and sticking with it until you actually achieve it instead of getting sidetracked by all the shiny objects out there?
You want to press a pair of 32s?
Then stick with it my man until you get there.
Don’t stop and don’t take a rabbit trail.
Still struggling to lose the same old 20 pounds?
Focus on what you really need to do to kickstart the fat loss process – eating or not eating as the case may be and supplement / accelerate the fat loss process with your KB training.
Check out this research published in the American Journal of Physiology*:
Danish researchers compared weight loss in two groups of men – 30 v. 60 minutes of aerobic exercise a day for 13 weeks.
The results?
The 30 minute/day group lost more weight AND more body fat.
7.9 pounds of weight / 8.8 pounds of fat v. 6.0 weight and 8.3 pounds of fat.
So what’s that prove?
You don’t need to – and more importantly if you want better, faster results, and SHOULD NOT kill yourself with long, high-volume workouts.
Not only is it, as this study shows, a complete waste of your time, from other research I’ve gathered on my own, high-volume, long duration workouts also:
– increase your recovery time
– increase markers of systemic inflammation
– increase stress hormone production
– decrease anabolic hormone production
– increase body fat production
So if any of those are your goals, then by all means, keep on keeping on with those super-hard, high volume, long duration workouts.
Trap #2: Looking for “exciting” workouts or feeling “bored” with your current workouts
And here’s the Secret Trick –
I focus on the goal.
See, I’m not trying to “get a good workout” or “feel like I had a good workout.”
In fact, I’m actually concerned when my training feels too hard – or harder than I think it should.
Why?
Because I know what it takes to get results.
And, at the risk of sounding snarky, I always get results.
You do too.
However, in both cases, it may not be the results we’re looking for.
Make sense?
Maybe not – so let’s elaborate.
Most of us work out for an end result – improve our press by 10%, train to pass the SFG, lose 23.5 pounds of body fat – that sort of thing.
Wait – maybe you don’t.
Notice how those goals are very specific?
Are yours?
Or are you just “trying to get in shape?”
Or “trying to get stronger?”
Or “trying to lose some weight?”
Do you see how non-specific those goals are?
How wishy-washy they are?
“Try.”
As in, “I’m going to put some effort in, but not a whole lot. And if I happen to reach my goals – whoopee! But if not, that’s ok too, I guess…”
And that’s why you get bored.
Because your workouts – your training – if you can call it that – has no real purpose, meaning, or context.
It’s just a box you check in your calendar.
Check.
Done.
Next task…
That’s why you need “exciting” workouts – because you view working out as immediate entertainment, not a process that takes time to lead to a desired result.
Now wait a minute – that all sounds very harsh in deed.
“Geoff, are you saying that my workouts shouldn’t be fun, exciting, and fresh?”
That’s right, I am.
Sure they can be, but their purpose is to produce a desired outcome.
When I want to be entertained, I watch a movie, or hang out with friends, or read a book.
Sure, my training is “fun” to a certain extent – as in, I like it. But more than that, I like what it DOES.
I like how it makes me FEEL in the long run.
I like being strong, muscular, lean and capable of handling almost anything life throws at me.
THAT’S the purpose behind my training.
So the “fun” is a result of the training.
So that’s the key to overcoming workout boredom:
Have a very specific goal and then tailor the program to that goal.
The real “fun” comes when you watch your body morph in front of your eyes – your body fat starts to disappear and your muscles grow – you get leaner, and you feel stronger –
And you are stronger, because you’re tracking your workouts and you can press or swing or snatch for more reps using heavier weights…
And your conditioning is improving because you’re less winded going up and down the stairs, or running because you’re late – or playing Ultimate Frisbee – or whatever…
The point is – the results bring you excitement.
Make this year different from all the rest.
Commit to chasing specific results NOT a “good workout.”
My suggestion, as always, is to train for strength first, and then focus on everything else.
Workout Trap #3: Focusing on your feelings instead of your outcome
See, I have very specific goals.
I’m working on something BIG. I have some very BIG long term goals.
So I need to be faithful to show up to my workouts.
And if I had skipped last night’s workout I would’ve really missed out.
Why?
Because all my weights felt lighter than normal.
My speed was up.
My capacity was up.
And my conditioning was up.
And I got a new recent PR.
Many of us never reach our goals because we come up with excuses to miss our workouts.
We don’t “feel” like working out – like training.
“I “feel” like having a beer – after all, I had a rough day…”
“I “feel” like watching TV – after all, it’s playoff season…”
“I just “feel” like relaxing – after all – I’m “tired”…”
Instead, you must discipline yourself to keep your goal in mind – at the forefront of your mind.
The desire to achieve your goal must be stronger than your momentary feelings of discomfort.
Self-discipline is not popular these days.
We’re told that we should indulge our feelings.
The Truth of the matter is, if we always did what we felt like most of us would be fat, broke, and homeless because we wouldn’t do what was necessary to live productive lives.
Achieving results from our workouts must be treated the same way.
Workouts don’t have to be complicated either.
But they do have to get done if you want to get anywhere –
Stronger.
Leaner.
Better conditioned.
You have to show up whether you feel like it or not.
If you’re struggling to “show up” and have been giving in to your feelings, then keep your workouts simple.
Pick “big-bang-for-your-buck” exercises –
Ones (or even one) that helps you accomplish your immediate goals.
The Clean + Press is one such exercise.
You don’t have to do a whole lot of it either to see MASSIVE changes in your body – stronger, leaner, better conditioned.
Two or three times a week is all you need.
And it doesn’t take that long either – no more than 30 minutes at a time.
However, the volume – the sets, reps, and total load lifted has to be spot on otherwise the stimulus won’t be enough to create the change you want.
Workout Trap #4: Training To Failure / Pushing Too Hard
First, you may think that you’re not doing this – so let me define exactly what I mean by “failure” as my coach taught me.
“Failure” is NOT the point where you can no longer do any reps like so many people think.
Nope.
It’s the point where your technique breaks.
And right before that it’s the point where your speed of movement slows down.
Here’s what most people do – probably even you:
(Hey – I’m NOT pointing fingers – I’ve done this so many times it’s not even funny. I did however FINALLY learn my lesson which is why we’re covering it today.)
They get some reps in, and fatigue starts to accumulate so their speed drops.
Being brainwashed by the ever-popular but ever-wrong “fitness mafia” – they keep going.
So now your speed has dropped and although you can technically-speaking keep going (bro – it’s all you!) – your form starts to break.
You keep going because, you like me, make the mistake that somehow you’re “tough” if you do –
Or that somehow you get some kind of magical benefit from doing so.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong!
The only thing you will get is tired and injured.
If you haven’t yet, keep going – you’re time draws nigh.
Now, if you don’t want to get injured, and spend, days, weeks, months, even years frustrated trying to rehab yourself (like I did) here’s what you should do:
1. Never train to failure. NEVER.
Sure, some of the science says that you get stronger and even grow some muscle by going to failure.
But I’ve researched this:
That’s SOME of the science. The other science contradicts it.
Training to failure when you’re someone who has what I call “a life” – that is, a 40-60 a week job, a mortgage, maybe a car payment, kids (You get the picture) – takes WAY more from you than it gives.
It zaps your ability to recover (read: make progress) and piles more stress on your body – adding to what you already have.
This affects every other area of your life – negatively.
2. ALWAYS stop your set when your rep speed drops.
Ok, maybe not ALWAYS – here’s the work-around:
Give yourself only one more rep to see if you can get your speed back up.
If you can’t, you’re done.
Why stop?
Because you’ve hit technical failure.
You no longer meet the requirements for high quality reps.
Instead, you’re performing “junk reps” and altering the mechanics of the exercise and using the wrong muscles at the wrong times.
(Well maybe not the first slower rep, but you will if you keep pushing to true absolute failure – where you can no longer lift the weight.)
You can get away with junk reps as a teenager.
Not so much as an adult.
How then should you train?
3. Use multiple low rep sets.
Why?
Three reasons:
1) Because you can keep the speed up on your weights.
This keeps force production high along with the quality of work.
Counterintuitively, this is where your best gains are made.
2) You can manage fatigue.
This means you can recover.
Recovery = Results.
Pretty simple.
3) Multiple low rep sets are one of the best ways to increase your volume (work) which is one of the best ways to increase your strength (and your muscle), and even – Your fat loss.
(More on that some other time – but if you’ve followed my work for any length of time you know that I favor strength training for fat loss – completely the opposite of what “the Industry” says.)
So how do you put together a program that avoids training to failure with multiple sets so you can get rapid increases in strength, body composition, and conditioning?
You don’t. You have other more important things to do like spend time with your family or work or whatever.
So what you do is contact Shashido Enterprises. They will give you the program, and ensure you reach your goal.
Workout Trap #5: No Recovery = No Results.
The chances are pretty good that you’re not a professional athlete – that you don’t get paid to train – to work out.
So why work out so darn much?
Oh, yeah, that’s right, because you “feel” like if you don’t that you’ll suddenly get weak or fat or both.
So let me ask you this:
Are you actually MEASURING your results or are you just going by how you “feel?”
Because in most cases, especially for a Workout Junkie, the two don’t line up.
You know you’re a Workout Junkie if you work out (hard) more than 3 days a week for any length of time.
If it’s been awhile since you’ve seen your strength numbers go up, despite all your Get Ups and Presses –
And your body fat go down, despite all your Swings and Snatches –
Or worse –
Your strength numbers are going down and your body fat is going up –
Then you, my friend, are a Workout Junkie.
And there’s only one cure:
STOP.
Cold Turkey.
That’s right – you need to rest.
Resting = Recovering.
And Recovery is where Results are found.
You know, those things you say you want – actual perceivable, measurable, changes.
Now I usually train every day – not hard though. 3 “traditional” sessions with 3 light/easy sessions.
Here’s what I recommend for recovering Workout Junkies (it’s a very simple formula that never fails to deliver spectacular results in strength and even body composition over the long term – key phrase – “long term”):
3 days a week of pure strength work, alternated with 3 days of walking.
Yes, walking.
Keep your strength workouts purposefully short – no more than 30-40 minutes, max.
And then walk for about 30 minutes on the other days.
Take one day a week totally off. (I like Sundays.)
For your strength work, do a very simple and powerful 3 day a week program that progressively overloads all the major muscle groups in your body – hips, legs, back, shoulders, even chest –
Using “big bang for your buck” exercises –
Again, my favorite – the Clean and Press.
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