3 Things Your Workout Needs (And 3 It Doesn't)

Most of what we think we know about exercise is wrong. Burning calories isn't the most important thing, soreness doesn't mean you had an effective workout, more is not always better, and pilates and yoga don't replace strength training.

Exercise is like baking, not cooking. When you cook, you can go with a pinch of this and a pinch of that to your heart's content, but when you bake, using more or less of one ingredient can cause the entire thing to crumble. Exercise is the same way. The programming is an exact science, which can be frustrating, but understanding this is the key to success.

I could write an 800 page book on the nuances of exercise programming, but then you'd be bored to death. So let's just start with 3 things every workout needs, and 3 it doesn't.

What You Need:

• One thing that gets you there that has nothing to do with the workout itself. A playlist you can't wait to listen to, a delicious high-protein meal or snack to enjoy afterwards, a cooldown where you watch your favorite show on the treadmill. Exercising for external validation will never motivate you to show up every week.

• A dynamic, mobilizing warmup. Intense cardio should come after strength training, unless you're preparing for a marathon. And static stretching (longer holds) should always come after too. Warmups should include moving through dynamic, mobility exercises to prepare your joints and experience less pain over time.

• More patience. If you have a specific goal, whether it be to look a certain way or lift a certain amount of weight, buckle up. It's going to take a while. If you get frustrated and quit before you see the changes you're after, it only takes longer. Other people have seen it through, and they're no more exceptional than you. Stay the course.

  
  

What You Don't Need:

• Novelty every time. Boring works. Muscles don't respond to "confusion." With strength training specifically, it's important to stick with the same program for 4-6 weeks before you switch anything up.

• To hurt to be "working." Soreness is not proof of a good workout. It means you either did something new and you're adapting, you're underrecovered, or you did too much. If you're sore after most workouts, that's a red flag.

• "Toning" exercises. Muscles can only grow or shrink. "Toning" is growing muscles. Muscles respond to a specific stimulus where there is a high enough demand on the muscle to elicit change. Core circuits, using light weights to do pulses until your arms burn, or doing 20+ reps on a gym machine won't get you there. Lift heavy (for you), keep reps between 5-15, and within that range, find a weight where you can lift until you feel like you're 2-3 reps away from failing to lift it again (with proper form).

  
  

I know I'm just scratching the surface here and that finding the right exercise routine can be confusing and frustrating. But this is a great starting point for auditing your current routine. You don't need more rules; you need fewer, better ones.

P.S. Many of the guides in my store come with exercise programs that work. Check them out here.