The Real Secret to Long-Term Gym Success – For Beginners

There are no healthy “get better quick” schemes when it comes to bodybuilding. Like the natural formation of a mountain, it is a slow process. Industry professionals who are at their peak have spent years or even decades building their perfect bodies. But, you may be asking, “How does this apply to me?”

Well Jim (I just hope someone reading this article is named Jim because that would be cool), this applies to you because no matter what your goals are in the gym, it’s going to take time to get there. Not just timing, but also consistency and that’s what I’m here to talk to you about today.

Consistency doesn’t just mean going to the gym regularly. It also means putting a consistent amount of effort into each workout and being consistent with your follow through and growth. Let me explain.

Going to the gym regularly is a very important part of reaching your fitness goals. If you take long breaks from going to the gym, say 3 weeks, this can seriously hamper your progress. Not only have you lost those 3 weeks of muscle gain that you could have gotten by going to the gym, but you are also going to lose some of the muscle you had already built. This is due to your inactivity. If your muscles aren’t being stimulated to grow on a regular basis, it’s going to hinder your gains in the long run. So the first lesson is to stick with your gym regiment.

There are no “cheat days” when it comes to your workouts. You need to bring the same or higher intensity to each and every workout. Always trying to increase the amount of weight you lift or the number of reps you do. If you’re not going to bring your full, energetic self to each and every workout, you’re not going to have the long-term success that others can. It is important to stay committed to each and every workout. None of these half days where you just don’t feel like doing work or sessions where you spend half your time on your phone. Don’t get me wrong, from time to time our bodies can’t handle the amount of stress we put on ourselves at the gym. It is important to listen to your body and give it the rest it needs. I highly recommend implementing dump weeks into your training regiment where you do lighter weights than normal, work on form, and give your body more time to recover. Lesson 2 is to be consistent in the intensity of your training.

The most successful people in bodybuilding are the ones who log every weight they lift and everything they eat. This gives them a solid reference point to work on and improve. From one week to the next, it is very difficult to remember how much weight you lifted and how many repetitions for each given exercise. My advice? Get a small notepad or make a spreadsheet that you can record your workouts on. Keep track of everything and try to improve from one workout to the next. One of the most important factors in bodybuilding success is diet. You need to count your macros and make sure you are getting enough protein, fat, and carbs. Consistency in your diet is what will make your progress faster and give you better results in the long run.

In closing, I hope you can see the important role consistency plays in building muscle in the long run. It might take a little extra effort at first, but once you’re consistent, you’ll stay consistent. I wish you all the best on your fitness journey and remember that when it comes to fitness, consistency is king.