Here Are 5 Key Ways Strength Training Can Benefit Your Life – and 7 Tips for Successfully Getting Strong…

By Elliot Newman

Strength was worshipped throughout history, particularly by cultures like the Spartans.

Unfortunately, physical strength isn’t really valued that much in today’s society. I’m here to tell you that Strength Training should be a part of your life, on a consistenty weekly basis. And, that’s true regardless of whether your 18, 48, or 88!

Here’s why…

5 Huge Benefits of Strength Training…

#1: It Increases Testosterone

Strength training increases testosterone.

Testosterone helps everything from your sex-drive and erection quality, to your energy levels and confidence, to your drive and determination, and more!

And, as you age…

Testosterone goes DOWN.

Making strength training a very wise choice, assuming you want to maintain or increase your Testosterone Levels as you age.

#2: It Makes Day-To-Day Tasks Much Easier

When you’re STRONG, day-to-day tasks seem a whole lot easier…

Whether it’s carrying the food shopping into the house, from the car…

Or, carrying your kids when they get too tired to talk…

Or, picking your woman up, and carrying her to the bedroom, “Caveman Style”…

Every day-to-day task is EASIER when you are STRONGER. Period.

#3: It Improves Athletic Performance

Improving your strength can make you FASTER. Just check out how elite sprinters like Usain Bolt train – it involves a lot of heavy lifting.

Improving your Strength can make you JUMP and THROW further. Elite Shot Putters can usually Bench Press in the region of 550lbs! That is STRONG!

Improving your Strength will help you to dominate in sports like Wrestling and Jiu Jitsu, and even Team Sports like Rugby or Football. Because, all other things being equal, the stronger athlete will SMASH the weaker one. 

Improving your Strength will even help your ENDURANCE! How?

Consider this…

If you can Bench Press 225lbs for 1 repetition, and your buddy can Bench Press 315lbs for 1 repetition, who do you think could Bench Press 135lbs for more reps?

Obviously, the guy who can Bench Press 315lbs. He might get DOUBLE the number of reps with 135lbs, or more.

This is why even Endurance Athletes like Marathon Runners and Triathletes should do some strength training!

#4: It Increases Bone Density

This one’s important…

As you age, bone density DECREASES (especially for women)… increasing your chances of breaking a bone, and Osteoporosis. 

Strength Training builds bone density. Enough said.

#5: It Helps to Build Muscle

Having some muscle on your frame makes you more attractive to women. And, muscle mass is a sign of youth – it’s something you LOSE as you age.

Now, a lot of fools will tell you that you don’t have to get stronger to build muscle. And, that’s true in certain circumstances.

But, who the heck wants to be muscular and WEAK?

And, for most people, increasing their Strength – and eating enough calories – is the easiest way to build MUSCLE.

Think about this…

If you go from Bench Pressing 225lbs for 5 sets of 5 reps, to 315lbs for the same number of sets and reps, do you think you’ll be more muscular in your chest, shoulders and arms?

Of course you will! (Assuming you eat enough).

***

Ok. Hopefully you’re sold on the idea of including some strength training in your weekly schedule. So…

Here Are 7 Tips for Successful Strength Training…

#1: Prioritize Technique

Most people in most gyms haven’t got a fucking clue. And, you could argue a lot of them are doing themselves more HARM than good. Primarily because they have terrible technique.

Poor technique will lead to:

• Slower strength gains
• Aches, pains, and injuries

So, the reason why you should prioritize technique is so you MAXIMIZE your STRENGTH GAINS, and MINIMIZE your injury risk. It’s that simple.

Here’s a video of me doing some Box Squats. Even when the weight gets near my limit, my technique remains solid…

#2: Find a Training Program that Really Appeals to You

Your training program is 2nd in importance only to your technique. Your training program is like a Road Map – it gets you from where you are now (your current strength level), to where you want to be (STRONGER).

There are many ways to get strong.

My preference is the system taught by Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell. If you like VARIETY, you’ll like these methods too.

If you’re not the kind of person who needs a lot of variety, and you’re happier doing the same thing over and over again – programs like 5/3/1 by Jim Wendler, or Stronglifts 5 x 5, by my friend Mehdi, would be better suited to you.

When you find a training program that really appeals, you look forward to going to the gym, you put more effort into your training, and you make more gains (muscle and strength).

#3: Always Warm Up Before Lifting

When you get to the gym, don’t be in a rush to ‘lift heavy’.

That’d be a mistake. A recipe for aches, pains, and injury.

My typical warm-up takes under 10 minutes, and tends to look something like this:

• Easy Original Strength (to loosen up, get warm, and just feel good)
• Dr Stuart MgGill’s Big 3 (to fire up your midsection and activate the muscles that protect your lower back)
• 3 Light exercises done for 3 sets of 10-20 reps (if it’s an upper-body day, this could be: 3 sets of Pulldowns, 3 sets of Press Ups, and 3 sets of Tricep Extensions)
• Jumping or Medicine Ball Slams for 3 sets of 3 reps (to really ‘switch on’ the Central Nervous System and make me feel ready to lift heavy)

#4: Be Consistent

It takes time to build strength. So, consistency is key.

Pick a strength training program you can commit to.

If you know you can only make it to the gym on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on a consistent weekly basis, don’t pick a program that requires you to train 5 days a week!

#5: Train Your Lower Body Hard

So many men train their upper body and neglect their legs.

This is stupid in several ways:

First, it looks DUMB. Having a big upper body, and Chicken Legs makes you look like you have something wrong with you. And, people will, quite rightly, make fun of you.

Second, your body will only allow you to get out of proportion to some extent. So, even if all you care about is having a huge Bench Press – you still need to train your lower body, otherwise you’ll likely never reach your potential on the Bench Press. Your body will simply ‘put the brakes on’ your progress.

Third, the lower body has the STRONGEST muscles in the body, and the greatest potential for strength gains. So, if you really want to build strength, it makes no sense to leave the strongest muscles untrained!

Here’s a video of me doing some heavy deadlifts. 150kg plus 80kg of red mini bands at lockout. Deadlifts work the entire body, from head-to-toe…

#6: Optimize Your Pre, During and Post Workout Nutrition

If you want to build strength, and gain muscle, NUTRITION is an important full stop.

However, in my experience, it’s what you eat around the time of a workout that matters the most!

Here’s what I like to do:

• Pre-Workout (45 minutes before), start sipping on 500ml of water, with 1 scoop of Amino Work Capacity. 4-6 teaspoons of RAW Honey
• During-Workout, sip on another 500ml of water and more Amino Work Capacity
• Post Workout (within an hour of finishing your workout), 400ml of Coconut Water, 1 scoop of High Quality Protein Powder, a little Himalayan Salt, some Organic Maple Syrup, and whatever superfoods you desire

This Pre, During, Post Workout Nutrition Strategy not only accelerates your strength and muscle gains, it also helps to eliminate pretty much ALL muscle soreness from training.

#7: Sleep 8 Hours a Night

You can train hard, on a great training program, using great technique on all your exercises…

You can take your Pre-During-Post Workout Nutrition every time you train.

But…

If you fail to get 8 quality hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, your strength and muscle gains WILL be compromised.

To enjoy the best possible quality of sleep, I recommend:

• Going to bed, and getting up in the morning, at the same time each day (for me it’s 10pm and 5.50am)
• Sleep in a Pitch Black, Cool Bedroom, with the best quality bed and bedding you can afford
• Develop a ‘Pre-Bed Routine’ – where you do a series of things before you go to bed, that’ll help you get a better night’s sleep. Taking a warm shower/bath, and meditating, would be great things to do

Got Questions or Comments?

Leave them in the comments section below, and I’ll get back to you ASAP