There are no healthy “get buff quick” schemes when it comes to bodybuilding. Just like the natural formation of a mountain, it is a slow process. The industry professionals who are at peak performance have spent years or even decades building their perfect bodies. But, you may be asking, “How does this apply to me”?
Well, Jim (I’m just hoping that someone reading this article will be named Jim because that would be sweet) this applies to you because no matter what your goals are in the gym, it’s going to take you time to get there. Not only time, but also consistency and that’s what I’m here to talk to you about today.
Consistency doesn’t only mean going to the gym on a regular basis. It also means putting in a consistent amount of effort into every workout and being consistent with your tracking and growth. Let me explain.
Going to the gym on a regular basis is a huge part of reaching your fitness goals. If you take long breaks from going to the gym, say 3 weeks, this can severely hinder your progress. Not only have you lost those 3 weeks of muscle gain that you could have had by going to the gym, but you are also going to lose a portion 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, you are going to hinder your gains in the long run. So lesson one 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 greater intensity to each and every workout. Always trying to increase the amount of weight you lift or the amount of reps you do. If you aren’t going to bring your full and energetic self to each and every workout, you aren’t going to have the long-term success that others may have. It’s important to stay committed each and every workout. None of these half days where you just don’t feel like doing the work or sessions where you spend half the time on your phone. Now don’t get me wrong, every so often our bodies can’t handle the amount of stress we put on ourselves in the gym. It’s important to listen to your body and give it the rest it needs. I strongly recommend implementing deload weeks into your workout regiment where you do lighter weights than normal, work on form, and give your body some extra time to recover. Lesson 2 is be consistent in the intensity of your workout.
The most successful people in bodybuilding are the ones who track all of the weights they lift and everything they eat. This gives them a strong benchmark to work against and improve on. On a week to week basis it is very hard to remember how much weight you lifted and for how many reps for every given exercise. My advice? Get a small note pad or make a spreadsheet in which you can record your workouts. Track everything and try to improve on a workout to workout basis. One of the most important factors in bodybuilding success is diet. You need to count your macros and ensure you are getting enough protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Consistency in your diet is what’s going to make your progress faster and give you better long-term results.
In closing I hope you can see the important role that consistency plays in building muscle over the long-term. It may take a little extra effort at first, but once you get consistent you will stay consistent. I wish you all the best in your fitness journey and remember when it comes to fitness, consistency is king.
