{"id":37114,"date":"2015-02-05T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-02-05T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingmuscle.com\/\/\/uncategorized\/the-25-rules-of-strength-training-part-2"},"modified":"2022-10-25T16:58:37","modified_gmt":"2022-10-25T21:58:37","slug":"the-25-rules-of-strength-training-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingmuscle.com\/the-25-rules-of-strength-training-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The 25 Rules of Strength Training (Part 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since writing The Rules of Strength Training (Part 1): 25 Things I Have Learned<\/a><\/em>, I\u2019ve learned some more stuff.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Actually, I wanted to include many of these points in the first 25, but ran out of space. Others are lessons I\u2019ve learned since. And a few are items I\u2019ve changed my mind on.<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, here are 25 more rules of strength training I\u2019ve learned on my journey as a strength coach and athlete.<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Strength Is Specific<\/h2>\n

Whenever anyone asks me my definition of strength, I have a simple answer – strength is strength for a task. <\/strong>Strong is specific to what you want to do, and you\u2019d do well to train with that in mind.<\/p>\n

2. Position > Speed<\/h2>\n

No amount of speed is going to compensate for bad positions. <\/strong>The Olympic lifts are a perfect example. Do bad stuff quickly, and you\u2019re not carrying that strength over to anything. You\u2019re just getting better at doing bad stuff quickly.<\/p>\n

3. Exercise Versus Movement<\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t confuse the two. When I go to the gym to lift, I\u2019m exercising within specific time, modal, and intensity domains. <\/strong>The incidental movement that I include as part of my life throughout the rest of my day is just as important, if not more so, to my health and strength.<\/p>\n

4. Play Time Is Important<\/h2>\n

In a world of reps, sets, and times, it\u2019s important to allow the mind and body to explore the possibilities of different modes of movement (as opposed to exercise). I include a weekly play day in my schedule.<\/strong><\/p>\n

5. 80\/20 Works<\/h2>\n

I\u2019m an all-or-nothing type of guy by nature. If I can\u2019t give it my all, I\u2019ll do nothing. But I\u2019m learning. The truth is, for most of us, 20% of the stuff we do is going to give us 80% of the gains. <\/strong>And 80% of the time, for 80% of people, 80% of the gains is enough.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

6. The Whole Is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts<\/h2>\n

80% works. But if you have the ability and resources to push to 100% (and by that I mean nail down every aspect of your training, nutrition, and lifestyle) these elements will come together to give you unparalleled strength gains. Just don\u2019t expect to be able to maintain this more than 20% of the time.<\/strong><\/p>\n

7. Not Everything Is for Everyone<\/h2>\n

Strength athletes are a passionate bunch. And it\u2019s easy to believe your flavor of strength is for everyone. I\u2019ve made that mistake before. But the truth is, not every form of lifting is right for everyone. Yes, that means not everyone should back squat<\/a>, or barbell snatch for that matter.<\/strong><\/p>\n

8. The CNS Rules Everything<\/h2>\n

And I mean everything. You don\u2019t get stronger; your CNS allows you to display the strength you have. The trick is getting your nervous system to allow you to do this.<\/strong> And that comes from learning how to use your body as a whole and convincing your brain what you are lifting is within your capabilities.<\/p>\n

9. The Importance of Tension<\/h2>\n

The ability to create and maintain tension is a massive part of convincing the brain to allow the lift you are performing to take place successfully.<\/p>\n

10. Lifting Heavier and Getting Stronger Are Not the Same<\/h2>\n

Lifting heavier doesn\u2019t necessarily make you stronger. But getting stronger will allow you to lift heavier. <\/strong>So think before you charge all guns blazing towards lifting heavier and heavier and heavier\u2026and injury.<\/p>\n

11. Go Home, Not Go Hard<\/h2>\n

If, when faced with this choice on a daily basis, you choose to go home rather than go hard, you will become stronger. <\/strong>That\u2019s not to say there isn\u2019t a place for going hard. It\u2019s just not on a daily basis.<\/p>\n

12. You Need to Enjoy What You Do<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s no good to have a noble end goal if your pathway to get there sucks. <\/strong>If you don\u2019t enjoy the process in some aspect, you will, at some point, burn out – either physically or mentally. Believe me. I\u2019ve been there.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

13. Simple > Fancy<\/h2>\n

The cleverest programming is the stuff that almost looks too simple to be effective. <\/strong>The cleverest coaches are the ones who can distil the most complex functions into simple cueing.<\/p>\n

14. Glutes<\/h2>\n

There isn\u2019t a single lift you will do in the gym that can\u2019t be improved through better utilization of the glutes.<\/p>\n

15. Lats<\/h2>\n

There isn\u2019t a single lift you will do in the gym that can\u2019t be improved through better utilization of the lats.<\/p>\n

16. Improvement Within the Movement<\/h2>\n

The first place to look when you\u2019re trying to improve a movement is the movement itself, not fancy toys and tools. <\/strong>For example, if you\u2019re looking to improve grip on the deadlift, put away your Captains of Crush, and pick up a fat bar, or do some static holds at the top of the lift.<\/p>\n

17. Movement Is Subconscious<\/h2>\n

If I ask you to pick up the coffee cup in front of you, you\u2019re not going to break down each part of the movement in your head before you do it. Movement is subconscious. So work with this knowledge. Use drills that are self-correcting and cues that work on multiple levels.<\/strong><\/p>\n

18. Everyone Moves Differently, and So They Should<\/h2>\n

No matter what you learned on your weekend certification, not every squat should look the same. <\/strong>Learn what makes a movement efficient and effective (these will be the same if you\u2019re in the right positions) without forcing yourself, or your clients, into unnatural shapes.<\/p>\n

19. There Is No One Right Way<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s no one right way of doing anything.<\/strong> It depends on you and what you are trying to achieve. A wide stance, sit back-style box squat is the only way of box squatting according to Louie Simmons. And this works well if you wear a lifting suit. However, a raw lifter wanting both a strength and movement carryover into CrossFit has a whole different set of objectives. For this person, sitting less far back and using a narrower stance are perfectly valid tactics.<\/p>\n

20. Results Are Everything<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re not getting results, nothing else matters. <\/strong>The best program in the world is not the best program in the world if it doesn\u2019t help you achieve the results you\u2019re after.<\/p>\n

21. Consistency Is key<\/h2>\n

Consistency of (correct) application is the key to unlocking freakish strength gains.<\/p>\n

22. Build Base Strength Over Time<\/h2>\n

The time it takes to build strength is in direct proportion to the sustainability of this strength. <\/strong>Proper, long-lasting strength is built over months and years, not days and weeks. So don\u2019t be surprised if your max squat from that three week secret Russian squat cycle you did isn\u2019t as high the next time you test it.<\/p>\n

23. Auto-Regulation is Critical<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re not pushing enough, you\u2019re leaving potential gains on the table.<\/strong> If you over-push yourself, you\u2019re leaving potential gains on the table as well as beating yourself into the ground. A form of auto-regulation, such as use of the RPE scale, is critical to ensure you get the most out of your training and are able to do so with consistency. And we all know what consistency leads to.<\/p>\n

24. You Need to Fail<\/h2>\n

But not often. In fact, most of the other items on this list point away from lifting to failure. But there are valuable lessons in breaking the rules on occasion. <\/strong>And none more so than finding out what happens when you fail (clue: if you\u2019ve never failed a lift before, it\u2019s not as bad as you think.)<\/p>\n

25. All Strength Principles Boil Down to Basic Science<\/h2>\n

Go back to your school physics books and look up force, motion, momentum, energy, and gravity for starters. Now apply these principles to your lifts.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve learned these things through experience. And I\u2019ve collected this experience through application – not all of it correct.<\/strong> Whether you agree with me or not (and especially if you don\u2019t), be bold and go and apply my lessons to your training. You might learn something. And I\u2019d love to learn back from you when you do.<\/p>\n

Check out these related articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n