Early in my lifting days, I created a set of seven training principles to take with me to the gym every day. I was in my mid-teens and deep into exploring this new world of lifting and reshaping my physique. These aren’t specific in the sense of sets, reps, and exercises. It’s more of a collection of principles that instill dedication, discipline, and practical know-how.
Over the years I’ve honed, refined, and polished them up for an even more succinct list for seamless application.
No matter your training style, workout program, goals, or preferences, these principles are universal and timeless…. at least to me.
(This is the exact list I wrote all those years ago)
- Clear your mind. Before entering the gym leave the troubles behind. Devote yourself to the physical and mental aspects of training. Think about sets, reps, and pushing yourself to personal bests.
- Visualize first. Visualize what the lift looks and feels like. Mentally picture it in exacting detail. It’s easier for the body to accomplish what the mind has already experienced.
- Go to work in the gym. Have integrity. Power, growth, strength, durability, and endurance. Tighten and tense the entire body with every movement to increase power and strength.
- Use the appropriate amount of weight. Heavy free weight, compound movements, lots of sets and reps, explosive movements. Don’t wimp out.
- Drink water. No single substance affects your workouts more than H2O.
- Modify and change. Every 30 days review routines and movements and change, modify, and document.
- Patience, consistency, and persistence are principles to live by.
- Pay your dues
- Muscle comes from within and must be brought out with hard training
- Utilize a hard work ethic
…and a quick motivational quote:
It’s important that you always reach for something outside your immediate grasp.
Gunter Schlierkamp
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Let me know in the comments below if this is helpful and if you have a set of your own principles you lift by.
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Here are all the posts related to the 7 Principles of Training:
My 7 Personal Principles of Training
Clear Your Mind Before Your Workout
How to Get Better Results From Visualizing Your Workouts
Get the Most From Your Training: Go to Work in the Gym
What’s the Right Amount of Weight to Use in My Workout
Water and Workouts: Your Overlooked Tool for Better Results
How to Modify Your Workouts to Avoid a Plateau
3 Keys to Workout Longevity
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Brad Borland 
Thank you for this post.
I don’t go to the gym. But about the past month, I have added dumbbells to my list of physical activities I do already and just recently decided to add resistance bands to the mix after discovering these bands can be used for more than just stretching.
Your post has just given me a different way to look at things as I do what do, as well asa few reminders while doing them.
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Hi Liz! Thanks so much for the kind words. Good luck and let me know how you do in a few weeks. Best!
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Thank you and you’re welcome.
July has been the best month for me mental health wise and I put that down to since adding dumbbells to my list.
So with how I feel this month, I hope that will be my motivation to continue if I ever have any difficult days.
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