If there’s one training service that I’ve provided the most (besides trying to convince people to stop worrying about getting “bulky”), it’s introducing novice gym-goers to strength training. And when I say strength training, I am referring to dedicated strength training as I described previously.
There is an unfortunate stigma that this is “meathead” training, which discourages many people from trying this training style, and in turn missing out on a huge number of benefits. Because of this barrier, most people don’t know where to start with strength training.
If you can relate, please don’t be discouraged. I spent the first two years of my life as a PT oblivious to the benefits of true strength training, and only changed my ways when I went to University to get my strength and conditioning degree. In the years since, I have identified the key lessons people need when they start strength training.
1. In Strength Training, Technique is King
This is an adage that has been repeated so often that it mostly falls on deaf ears now, but if you want to get stronger, you can’t just focus on what you lift – you need to focus on how you lift it.
Strength training is often seen as a physical process; we get less soreness and more muscle, then we can lift more weight. But strength is a skill – a lot of improvements occur because the nervous system gets more efficient at managing our muscle contractions. That means lifting weights is practice, and good, mindful practice makes perfect.
When I was a strength and conditioning intern, I shadowed a coach who told his athletes that starting a set should be like stepping onto the stage in a theatre. You need to be dedicated to your performance – your setup, your bracing, your tempo, everything. Finding this focus will elevate your strength training to new heights.
2. If In Doubt, Change the Weight
No matter where you get your training programme from, the projected weights for each lift will be educated guesses at best. A training programme is never sore or ill, nor can it predict the rate of your progress. The weight on the programme can end up being totally wrong for you, for any number of reasons.
If you’re in doubt about your ability to perform a set well, reduce the weight to an amount you’re more confident in. Stick to the sets and reps, though – these are usually the variables your coach is most keen on controlling.
If your first set with the reduced weight feels easy, you can always add more weight in subsequent sets.
If you’re obsessed with hitting a certain weight because you Googled your strength standards, ask yourself: Are Strength Standards Helpful or Not?
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3. Keep Some Strength in Reserve
It’s important to walk the line between being challenged and being broken. A good rule of thumb for this is to finish each set with one or two reps in reserve. This provides enough stimulus to keep you gaining strength without harming recovery.
This is why many lifters will use a training max to calculate their weights in the gym. Your training max is approximately 90% of your best ever lift, and you can extrapolate that to whatever sets and reps you are performing. There’s a more detailed explanation here.
Remember that your goal is to survive the whole programme – not just one workout.
4. Your Back Should Feel Worked, but Not Sore
If you’re holding weight whilst folding over at the hips or squatting down, your back muscles are going to be working.
People are understandably cautious about loading their backs after years of being warned of manual handling injuries. However, it’s not always a bad thing to feel some stimulus to this area, so it’s important to differentiate between the sensations we feel in the back.
The main way to decide if the level of back work in compound exercises is appropriate – besides whether you find it personally tolerable – is how your back is positioned. When the back is in a neutral position, it’s safe to assume that the muscles of the back will have a higher tolerance, as they are contracting statically. If you are moving with extra flexion (rounding) in your spine, the chances of you feeling an exercise in your back increases.
When starting strength training, you priorities should be:
- Becoming confident in loading your back;
- Learning how to perform strength lifts with the desired amount of spinal movement.
Not only will these priorities make strength training more comfortable, but they will contribute to a more consistent technique.
Of course, this is highly individual. There are people who have achieved amazing feats of strength with a rounded spine, whilst conversely some people will still get a cranky back even when lifting with perfect form. Take it slow and listen to your body.
5. You Don’t Have to Be a Powerlifter to Enjoy Strength Training
| Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3 |
| Squats 4×3 (Strength) | Pullups 4×3 (Strength) | Deadlifts 4×2 (Strength) |
| Romanian Deadlifts 3×6 | Upper Body Circuit | Leg Machine Workout |
| 30minute HIIT session | Abs work | Long Run |
Deciding to do do strength training doesn’t mean you need to spend your whole workout chalking up, performing sets of 3, and resting for 10 minutes. Strength training can fit in nicely with other workout aims. This workout allows you to dedicate time to strength training without eating up your whole session. You can still commit to higher-volume sets, or cardio, or whatever else floats your boat. Of course, you’ll get better results from dedicated training blocks, but you’re more likely to do a programme you enjoy, so it’s often worth finding a compromise.
Not sure if you want to prioritise strength or muscle growth? Read more here.
6. You Don’t Have to “Earn” Equipment
Strength training may be a slightly more moderate in principle compared to some other aspects of the fitness industry, but it’s not immune to the “no pain, no gain” mentality that convinces people they need to suffer in order to earn gym cred.
People will refuse to use wrist straps until they’re strong enough, refuse to wear squat shoes until they’ve stretched enough, all the while missing out on the advantages of these tools.
Take the Romanian Deadlift, for example.
It’s an exercise that should work your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Unfortunately, the relative strength of these muscles combined with a prolonged time holding the bar mean that for many people, the grip/forearms will fatigue before anything else.
A very simple solution to this is to buy some lifting straps which secure your hands to the bar, but some people will soldier on without this very affordable tool. This is like refusing to open a bank account until you have a couple of grand in your mattress!
Don’t deprive yourself of simple training solutions just because others have glorified the struggle.
Get Started!
Hopefully these tips will serve you well in your early days of strength training. There’s no substitute for the real thing however, so get out there and get lifting!
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