Foolproof Formula for weight training - c.i.s.s.

In the gym I hear all kinds of chatter about the "new" workouts or "this revolutionary, breakthrough workouts and techniques" that's supposed to "get you ripped faster than anything", and I just laugh under my breath. Most of them have no idea how their muscles work or what they're doing. Especially when it comes to abs, but I won't go there in this blog.

I laugh because I've tried most of them and have found them to be frivolous wastes of time. Sure they might burn, but everything that burns isn't good for you. I could put a torch to you. That burns, but is it good for you?

Another problem with most of these " workout routines" is they sound good at first, and I must admit, they can be tempting, but they have not consistency to them, or no long term plan. Weight training is a journey. You have to have your destination on the dashboard and a good road map, and/or a good co-pilot (this blog) to help you along that journey. Most of these routines are nothing more than attractive side destinations that lead to detours to veer you off course. Stay focused!

I laugh at these guys because they don't have focus. I know they'll do the workout a time or two and quit it. Then they'll try something else, and so on and so on. I was like that once, until I came up with a little acronym guideline to keep me on my path to the body I want.

The acronym is C.I.S.S Nutrition. The "N" wouldn't make a nice word, so I left it hanging. You may be familiar with K.I.S.S. which is Keep It Simple Stupid, which is actually a philosophy of mine and where my acronym stems from. But C.I.S.S. Nutrition stands for Consistency, Intensity, Simplicity, Safety, and Nutrition. Anyone that knows me, knows that I'm big on quotes and formulas. This acronym stands for a formula.

Results = Consistency + Intensity + Simplicity + Safety + Nutrition

If you're not getting the results you want, odds are, you are missing something from this equation.

Consistency seems to appear in all of the life formulas I have because it's the outer shell of anything successful. It keeps everything together, like your skin. Without it, everything just falls apart. I spoke earlier about consistency. I went to the gym 5 days a week (wouldn't recommend it right now) one summer and by the end, some of the gym regulars had noticed a huge difference in me. They asked my secret and I simply said "consistency", which they totally couldn't believe, but ok.

Intensity comes next on the life. These first two apply to most things in life when trying to achieve a goal. You have to have an intense determination about it, or it won't come to pass. Your body directly responds to intensity, which is why your muscles grow. Low intensity workouts are good for beginners to get your muscles used to weight training, but not for muscle growth.

Simplicity. This comes from K.I.S.S. and I thought it was appropriate because I keep a very simple approach to weight training. I don't go on the hype workout tangents or take loads of supplements. I do basic workouts coupled with this formula to get results. I know my goal and the image I'm looking to obtain. I'm not trying to be next Arnold, and I'm sure you aren't either, so I don't need all of that or complicated workouts.

Safety is next on the list because I see so many victims of this in the gym. People not putting clamps on the weights, not using a spotter (me sometimes), or just plain doing an exercise wrong in a manner that will get them hurt. This ties in to technique, which is all important with weight training. Without the proper technique, you are just wasting your time.

Lastly, Nutrition. I'll be completely transparent and say that I need to get better nutrition aka more calories to see faster muscle growth. But this is what I was talking about on your 90 days goals. Testing, tracking, and tweaking. Check out my blog on pre-workout and post-workout nutrition to learn more on weight training nutrition. But to summarize, your muscles need the right stuff to get the maximum benefits, just like a car needs the right oil to run properly.

I know this was a bit of a long one, but it's vital you get this down. Write it down, memorize it, take it to the gym with you. This simple formula has allowed me to build and build, and to see where I'm going wrong if I am. Until next time C.I.S.S. and Happy Lifting!

Mitchell

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