I played college basketball, became a doctor, and treated 1,458 patients, from professional athletes to many with chronic diseases.
Here’s everything I know about fitness:
1) If they could package the benefits of exercise into a pill, it’d be the biggest event in history.
2) There is no “best way” to train; just do what works best for you.
3) Simple is always better than complicated, even for high-level athletes.
4) Exercise is less about the amount of weight moved and more about properly fatiguing the muscle.
3) Simple is always better than complicated, even for high-level athletes.
4) Exercise is less about the amount of weight moved and more about properly fatiguing the muscle.
5) You’d get better results if you didn’t change up your workouts for at least 12 weeks.
6) The best exercise for one person may not be the best one for you. Biomechanics vary greatly from one person to another based on height, movement patterns, torso, and limb length.
6) The best exercise for one person may not be the best one for you. Biomechanics vary greatly from one person to another based on height, movement patterns, torso, and limb length.
7) The only person you are competing with in the gym is the person you were the last time you did the same workout.
8) Most common aches and pains are due to inactivity and muscle weakness and would go away with basic programming.
8) Most common aches and pains are due to inactivity and muscle weakness and would go away with basic programming.
9) Your joints get nourished when they are moved.
10) Sitting is the most common cause of most neck and back pain.
11) You get 50% of the benefits of exercise by just going from the couch to basic movement.
10) Sitting is the most common cause of most neck and back pain.
11) You get 50% of the benefits of exercise by just going from the couch to basic movement.
12) Walking will do more for your recovery than any BS supplements they are selling you.
13) Strengthening your core and glutes will fix most low back symptoms.
14) The best programs involve a combination of compound (multi-joint) exercises and a few isolated exercises.
13) Strengthening your core and glutes will fix most low back symptoms.
14) The best programs involve a combination of compound (multi-joint) exercises and a few isolated exercises.
15) If you aren’t losing weight, you are eating too many calories. Likely in the form of the wrong foods.
16) Neglecting cardio to focus on your strength is like neglecting your car engine to focus on the paint job.
16) Neglecting cardio to focus on your strength is like neglecting your car engine to focus on the paint job.
17) Unless it’s your job, fitness and nutrition should fit into your life rather than fitting your life into your fitness and nutrition.
18) Sometimes more rest is what’s needed to break through plateaus. Deload weeks are part of any good training program.
18) Sometimes more rest is what’s needed to break through plateaus. Deload weeks are part of any good training program.
19) Fitness is a combination of strength, endurance, and mobility. Resistance training allows you to do all three at once, but it should be complimented with the others.
20) Machines can be just as effective as any other exercise for a particular muscle group.
20) Machines can be just as effective as any other exercise for a particular muscle group.
21) Slowing down your reps will lead to a better workout and a lower risk of injury.
22) The weight you lift is not important compared to the fatigue of the target muscle. You are selecting the weight for exercise, not competitive lifting.
22) The weight you lift is not important compared to the fatigue of the target muscle. You are selecting the weight for exercise, not competitive lifting.
23) You want to hit each muscle group 2+ times per week for optimal results.
24) There is no “best exercise.” You can get the same muscle strong in 100 different ways.
25) Barbells are the gold standard for strength, yet you can get really strong with little to no equipment.
24) There is no “best exercise.” You can get the same muscle strong in 100 different ways.
25) Barbells are the gold standard for strength, yet you can get really strong with little to no equipment.
26) You can lift weights 2 days per week or 7 days per week. The optimal plan is one you can stick to consistently.
27) Put the work in now so you can still get out of a chair on your own later.
27) Put the work in now so you can still get out of a chair on your own later.
28) Beginners will make considerably more progress than advanced lifters in the gym. You should at least take advantage of those initial results for your metabolic health in the long term.
29) You can get strong using only your body weight. It may not be perfectly optimal, but it’s possible.
30) Your diet and fitness plan should be enhancing your life, or you are doing something wrong. What’s the point of trying to live longer if it’s making your life miserable?
30) Your diet and fitness plan should be enhancing your life, or you are doing something wrong. What’s the point of trying to live longer if it’s making your life miserable?
31) Exercise is a stress. Most people don’t get enough of it, but too much isn’t always better.
32) The most important workouts are the ones you show up to when you don’t want to.
33) The most important reps are the last two that you didn’t know you could do.
32) The most important workouts are the ones you show up to when you don’t want to.
33) The most important reps are the last two that you didn’t know you could do.
35) You don’t need to take a preworkout or carb up before a 30-minute exercise session; you just need a little grit.
36) There’s no benefit to eating immediately after a lift. You’ll get the same results from eating within a 3–4 hour window post-workout.
36) There’s no benefit to eating immediately after a lift. You’ll get the same results from eating within a 3–4 hour window post-workout.
37) Sprints, hills, and slow jogs will make you a better runner.
Moderate-paced running is a lot of work for little results.
38) Your calf muscles and core are endurance-based muscles. They can be trained more frequently and may benefit from higher reps to grow.
Moderate-paced running is a lot of work for little results.
38) Your calf muscles and core are endurance-based muscles. They can be trained more frequently and may benefit from higher reps to grow.
39) Sit-ups are a terrible place to start for building core strength and are hard on the average person’s back and neck; try planks instead.
40) Older individuals typically benefit from having additional rest days between hard workout sessions.
40) Older individuals typically benefit from having additional rest days between hard workout sessions.
41) A higher frequency and volume of exercise is only beneficial if you can recover from it. The guys that look like freaks work hard but are genetically capable of recovering from the increased effort.
42) The core’s job 99% of the time is to prevent movement, similar to a plank, but most core exercises involve moving it rather than stabilizing it.
43) Running 2 days and lifting 2 days weekly will get you ahead of 99% of fitness plans that overdue one or the other.
43) Running 2 days and lifting 2 days weekly will get you ahead of 99% of fitness plans that overdue one or the other.
Generated by Thread Navigator
Press ⌘ + S to quick-export