I started strength training in 2006. Over twenty years I’ve learned that the principles of strength are simple. Almost everything you need to know can be summarized in two pages. Following the ten lessons below will make you stronger than 90-99% of the population. Here are my two pages:

Start easy

Start with light weights if you’re a beginner. During the first months, establish a routine of going to the gym and learn to lift correctly. Don’t rush into heavy weights—you’ll have plenty of time for that later.

The same advice applies if you’re getting back to lifting after a break. When gyms re-opened after COVID-19, I lifted the bar on my first workout. Then I increased to 40 kg, then 60 kg, 70 kg, etc. Start too heavy and you might get injured, or experience debilitating soreness. Either one hinders the steady progress required to build strength.

Squatting 285 kg at 108 kg bodyweight in 2010.

Stay consistent

Priority number one is to keep training. Half the game is showing up 2-4 times a week. If you get injured, come up with a plan to train around it. Set your ego aside. Don’t risk training through pain.

You must also avoid burnout. Hitting the gym six days a week and eating like a bodybuilder can be motivating. But if you burn out and quit as a result, you’ve lost the game. Slow and steady is usually better.

Push yourself

Since you are now consistent, the next step is to set goals, make plans and push yourself. Muscles grow by adapting to stress via progressive overload. The best way to induce stress is to increase the weight. If you lift 100 kg today and your goal is to reach 140 kg in one year, then you must increase the weight by around 0.75 kg per week. This is the outline of a long-term plan.

There are several ways to drive progress. Suppose you can comfortably lift 4 sets of 5 repetitions at 80 kg today. Try 4x5 at 82.5 kg next week, then 4x5 at 85 kg, 4x5 at 87.5 kg, etc. until you plateau. Don’t rush it—the idea is to start easy and gradually push yourself. You can alternatively increase repetitions instead of weight: do 4x1 at 90 kg, then 4x2 at 90 kg, etc. until you can do 4x6 at 90 kg—then increment the weight to 100 kg and start over again with 4x1. A third option is to combine weights and repetitions, e.g. 4x5 at 80 kg, 5x5 at 80 kg, 4x5 at 82.5 kg, 5x5 at 82.5 kg, etc.

Deadlifting 262.5 kg at 104 kg bodyweight in 2022.

Two steps forward, one step back

When your strength plateaus—which it invariably will—drop the weight (or repetitions) and start over. Suppose you lift 4x5 at 80 kg today, and 82.5 kg the next week, then 85 kg, etc. and eventually you fail at 95 kg. What should you do next? Try to drop down to 85 kg and start increasing by 2.5 kg per week again. You’ll likely reach 100 kg this time.

I take a big step back and start light in every new training program (every 8-12 weeks). Some programs add a small step back every four weeks. The “two steps forward, one step back’’ idea can be used at different resolutions in a long-term plan, and can be applied to weight, volume (total number of repetitions) and intensity (% of one-rep max).

Switch it up

Introduce slight variations to stay motivated and get unstuck when you stagnate. If you train 5x5, try increasing the repetitions (e.g., 4x8) or decreasing them (e.g., 5x3). Switch out barbell exercises for their dumbbell counterparts. Experiment with unilateral alternatives, for instance heavy lunges instead of squats. Train with bands or chains for a while. But don’t experiment too much or too often—stick with something long enough for it to work.

Movements, not muscles

Want big arms? Gyms are littered with men who feverishly curl with little to show for it. But I have yet to see anyone with small arms bench three plates.

The body responds well to heavy compound exercises: bench press, military press, rows, chin-ups, squats, deadlifts, etc. These exercises train many muscles simultaneously and let you move serious weight. I bench four plates, but never train arms directly.

Benching 182.5 kg at 104 kg bodyweight in 2022.

Compete or cooperate

Compete with yourself. Strength is easy to measure, so take advantage of it. Test your strength, weigh yourself and take some pictures every three months. Document your journey and make note of what works for you.

Strength training can be solitary, but it does not have to be. Train with others, build a community and share information. Compete with your friends or sign up for a meet. Read books and articles, participate in online forums, or publish a training log.

Food makes you look good

If your goal is to look good, then diet matters more than training. I enjoy tweaking my training programs, but it honestly has no effect on how I look—only my diet does.

To master your diet, start by writing down everything you eat for a week. Buy a food scale and weigh your food. Weigh yourself daily, but use a three-day average to assess progress.

Once you’ve mapped out how you eat today, start adding or subtracting food. It’s easier to control your diet if you eat the same meals every day, so lock them down if you can. I fix all my meals except one per day, where I only impose a weight limit. Don’t lose more than 0.5-1% of your bodyweight per week. Don’t gain more than 0.25-0.5% per week.

Healthy foods often have low caloric density, and calories are by far the most important factor. Eat healthy most of the time. “Healthy’’ means food your grandmother or a bodybuilder would approve of. Eat enough protein. Don’t drink calories. Don’t do anything too extreme, like swearing off entire food groups, avoiding social gatherings or dropping weight sharply. It rarely works out long term.

At ~92 kg I look pretty good. At 110 kg? Not so much.

Mute the marketers

People will try to sell you supplements, clothes, gear and entertainment. Buy if you like, but it’s mostly marketing designed to exploit your psychology.

For instance, very few supplements have strong scientific backing. Whey is a cheap source of protein and creatine has documented effects. That’s about it.

As for clothes and gear, buy a pair of Adidas lifting shoes, Rehband knee sleeves and a belt. They will last a decade or more. What kind of T-shirt you wear to the gym hardly matters.

Fitness influencers peddle a mix of minutiae, drama and genuinely good information. In the end, your attention is sold to their advertisers. Use social media feeds with caution: the information does not stick well and comparison is the thief of joy. For information, read a few high-quality books. For motivation, make some real-world friends.

Keep learning

If you enjoyed this article, then The Art of Lifting and The Science of Lifting by Nuckols are short reads in the same spirit. Bigger Leaner Stronger by Matthews is an overall guide to training and nutrition. The books by Eric Helms also fall into this category. Rippetoe wrote three books I enjoyed: Starting Strength covers technique on the main lifts, Practical Programming teaches strength program design and Strong Enough? is a delightful collection of no-bullshit, down-to-earth essays. Dan John has also written many great essays. Atomic Habits by Clear covers habit formation, which is a big part of training and lifestyle.

Unsure where to start? Set some goals based on the strength standards at ExRx.net or strengthlevel.com. Choose a program like Starting Strength, StrongLifts, 5/3/1, Texas Method, etc. Good luck!