Let's face it: there are too many people who have no idea how to effectively exercise. They just show up a the gym, lift some weight, get a little bit of pain, then call it a day. I used to be one of those people and the five exercise tips I'm gonna share with you today are what helped me get better results.

Last post, I covered diet tips with you. Diet is the fuel you consume to energize your body. By making sure you get quality fuel, the machine that is your body can operate closer to peak performance.

However, just putting quality fuel in a car doesn't mean it'll run well. You actually have to use the fuel, and use it well. 

These five tips are designed to make sure you use your fuel effectively.

1. Make sure you train hard enough

I'm positive I've said this one before, but it's worth repeating. Most people don't train hard enough to see results and is the number one reason their progress is so slow.

When I started out, I had no idea how to train hard enough. I thought I just had to feel "the burn" and that's it. I gained some progress, but nowhere near what I wanted.

It took me a month to see noticeable gains. One whole month. For somebody who had newbie gains on his side, that's quite a while.

Then, one day, I watched a video saying that I need to push to near failure to be training hard enough. That's when I noticed that I wasn't pushing hard enough.

Once I started pushing myself hard enough, I started seeing better and more results. I gained considerably more size and some strength along with it.

Make sure you train hard enough and you'll be making swift progress.

2. Make sure you're using the right movement

Another big factor that contributes to slower progress is improper exercise selection. Most people only choose exercise because they're told that those exercises are effective.

There definitely is truth to some recommended exercises being effective. However, that can only be said for some of them.

When I first started doing weightlifting as a part of PE class in high school, not once were we recommended any exercises for rear delts, nor were we told about the different heads of the bicep.

When put together with insufficient intensity, all of a sudden it's obvious why I wasn't making significant progress. Not only was I not training hard enough, but I wasn't hitting the right muscle groups.

Even though proper form is done to death in PE class, it truly is so important. What they don't teach about proper form, and the thing I had to learn on my own, was that hitting the right muscle is just as important.

Once I started implementing exercises that high the right area of the muscle I'm training, I saw even more progress when combined with proper intensity.

There are plenty of YouTube channels that go over the best scientifically proven way to train each muscle, so I won't go into detail here. My recommendations are Jeff Nippard and Ryan Humiston.

3. Make sure you're training frequently enough

The last piece of the hypertrophy fundamentals, you must also make sure you are training frequently enough to maximize building/maintaining muscle.

When it comes to training frequency, it comes down a lot to you. What's your schedule like? How much time do you have available? How much energy do you have?

Whatever your answers are, you must make sure of two things:

1. You're training enough to maximize your muscle mass
2. You can stick to your chosen routine

When I started out with my training, I started with a typical full body three times a week split. Then, I moved to a bro split. Now, I've found a way to make a push/pull/legs split work for me even though I'm a paraplegic.

Whatever split you end up using, make sure you can stick to it. Consistency will always outperform effectiveness.

4. Make it enjoyable

Going off of the last point, it's so much easier to be consistent when you enjoy your weightlifting. 

Different people have different ways of enjoying their training. Some people go with a workout buddy, some people listen to music, and some people run to and from the gym.

Whatever poison you pick, make sure it's one that you enjoy.

It's worth mentioning that you won't be able to completely get rid of the feeling of not wanting to go. Even after training for 3 years, I still have those days where I don't really want to go.

The point behind making it more enjoyable isn't to make it super easy to go. The point is to make it easier to stop yourself from being lazy.

Making your workouts more enjoyable makes them easier to stick to because you have something to look forward to until you build the habit.

5. Learn as much as you can

Finally, you want to be learning as much as you can about exercise. 

Watch YouTube videos, take an online course, experiment with yourself, or find a mentor/personal trainer. Whatever you decide to do, learning more will accelerate your results.

When I started out with my fitness journey, I had no personal trainer. I only had YouTube and the internet to rely upon for fitness information.

Combining the internet with experimentation, I eventually came up with my own exercise selection that worked best for me. I'm able to get the results I want without having my wheelchair slow me down.

Strive to learn as much as you can on the topic of fitness. Everything you learn will come together to get you closer to your goals.

No Excuses

At the end of the day, there are no excuses that explain why you haven't gotten where you want to be. There are only reasons, good or bad.

To make it to your goals, you need to put in the work day after day. These five exercise tips here are designed to make that process smoother.

- Karl