Avast!
What I am about to share with you could spare you much misery and pain.
Hyperbole?
Nope, not in the slightest.
Listen: It’s no secret I am wedded to the idea that getting strong(er) is the foundation upon which all other results are built (muscle gain, fat loss, endurance, and so on, and so on).
However.
I’d be doing you a huge disservice if I neglected to warn you about the dangers of pursuing strength über alles.
Like it or not you will end up hurt and deeply unhealthy if you try.
Not convinced?
Fine. It’s not my job to convince you of anything; only to supply you with all the relevant information. What you finally decide is, and always will be for you and you alone to determine.
That said, I’d sleep much better knowing you were taking a “rounded” approach to your training.
Why do I care so much?
Painful first-hand experience I regret every single day.
For example, there was the time I damn near tore my hamstring in two trying to push my deadlift higher than it had any right to go at the time.
Then there were the years I spent hoiking head-turning loads about yet feeling ashamed of my tubby mess of a body (replete with ripe man bewbs that looked ready to lactate).
Not to mention the intractable agonies I suffered in my hips and lower back. Imagine waking up every morning feeling like shards of broken glass doused in lemon juice were being ground into your spinal cord by a nefarious gremlin, and you’ll have some idea of how I spent a good chunk of my 20s.
And for what?
Occasional compliments from random blokes (but never girls) in the gym who might see me squatting north of 200kg trussed up like a mental patient in knee wraps and a belt.
Woo.
So.
Please don’t do as I did.
And if you’re already treading the same miserable path?
Stop.
Now for some good news:
You need only do a few simple things to safeguard your health while pursuing strength gains.
The first and most obvious is taking a proper warmup and cooldown. I’ve explained how to do this a bajillion times in a bunch of different places, but if in doubt – ask.
The second is eating sensibly. On this, I have nothing to teach you other than to apply common sense and avoid behaving like a degenerate pig or a teenage girl who wants to be skinny so the boys will like her.
The third is where things get contentious.
You must do your cardio and you must do it with discipline and intent.
I am aware that this will limit the speed you gain strength (potentially quite considerably), but, in my opinion, it’s a sacrifice well worth making given how much better you will look and feel for doing it.
And don’t forget the other benefits, such as mitigating your risk of disability and death from illnesses associated with a sedentary lifestyle. (I don’t care what anyone says, lifting weights three, four, five, or even six days per week does not an active lifestyle make).
Anyway.
As I said, it’s your decision – but be under no illusions that your decision will have consequences for good or ill.
If you’ve opted to do the smart thing, my (very) short and (very) ugly book “The Conditioning Codex” is the toolbox you need to get the job done.
A full summary of the book plus FAQs is on the informative and entertaining sales page I have linked below (which now features a headline in a fetching silver font).
Please read it carefully before deciding either way:
https://philtyreman.co.uk/codex
Thank you,
Phil Tyreman