How to Approach Training – 6 Tips
The way we approach our training dictates the results that we get from the process.
I started training consistently 12 years ago and have trained 100’s of clients 1:1 over the past 5 years. In that time, learning and working with individuals with varying needs, my approach to training has been refined over and over again.
When I first started; I mostly wasted time experimenting and trying to find what would work for me. My goals were short-sighted, my understanding of training principles was limited, and I didn’t have a good filter for all the nonsense in the online space. This approach led me down the road of injury, burnout, and frustration with plateaus. So each time I would learn, change my approach, and overcome whatever it was that I was experiencing at the time.
If I were to rewind 12 years and completely start over training with the knowledge and experience I have now; here are 6 tips I would give my younger, less fit self.
If your goals are health, strength, mobility, longevity, and body composition these tips may be helpful for you too.
Training vs workout — Training and working out are two very different things. Workouts are done at random, without intent, little to no structure, and often provide a sense of short term satisfaction from getting your heart rate really high, or pushing a really heavy weight. Sure, workouts are absolutely better than doing nothing — but they eventually lead to plateaus or injury. I would consider what I used to do in the gym a workout. Over the years, I’ve learned how to train. Training has an intention that’s based on balance, sustainability, and progressions over time. Training is like plugging your goals into a GPS and following a safe, effective route to get there. Working out is hitting the road and hoping you’re going to get there. Following a balanced structure, working on your weaknesses, and properly understanding intent/load/volume will turn your workouts into training sessions.
Run your race — We all have the tendency to compare our journey to someone else’s. Whether it’s performance based, or aesthetic based — understand that your results & performance are so individually based that it is just a waste of time & energy to compare to others. Comparing your results and performance will lead to injury and/or a negative relationship with training that can cause people to feel frustrated and give up. Understand that our only job is to control the factors that we can control, trust the process, and put in effort to be the best version of us each day - this approach makes training more fun, more sustainable, and you will progress faster.
Slow down— I cannot state enough the benefits of slowing down. Slowing down your training is counter intuitive for most people. But most people are missing a lot of the fundamentals of specific movements. I went years not ACTUALLY knowing how to squat, deadlift or press in a technically efficient way. The devil is truly in the details. You will never actually understand or master the details of the fundamentals without slowing down and taking the time to learn them. Slowing down increases your time under tension (adds muscle), improves your technique/mobility, and makes you stay present with what’s happening in your body.
Single leg & single arm movements— Want to add muscle, get stronger, and injury proof your body? Perform more single leg and single arm movements. Yes, they are challenging. They are also better for your joints, athleticism and longevity. 90% of my training and the training I program for my clients is single arm/single leg — These movements will challenge your strength, stability, mobility, and core activation in ways that other movements simply cannot. And will apply to more functional, athletic strength in everyday life. I noticed the biggest improvement in my strength and athleticism when I began to bias my training this way.
Learn core breathing and bracing— Core stability = distal control. This basically means if someone knows how to stabilize through their core & trunk, then they will be able to lift, maneuver and create force through their arms & legs in a safe manner. I went years lifting without ever learning how to properly breathe into my belly, brace, and train my core. All of human movement begins with the core, and if you aren’t able to maximize your core strength and technique you will be limiting your results and leaving yourself susceptible to injury. One of the easiest ways to start building a better relationship to your core is to practice belly breathing before training. Inhale in the nose, and push your belly out to fill up with air — don’t allow your shoulders to rise with the inhale. This practice will begin to activate the correct muscles needed to brace your spine properly and move heavier weight more efficiently.
Play the long game— Training and taking care of your body is a practice that is invaluable for years to come. Ideally it is a practice that lasts a lifetime. I didn’t approach training this way when I first started. My goals were short-sighted and my training practice was unsustainable. Training needs to fit into your lifestyle as something that enhances your life for the rest of your life. I encourage you to approach it in a mindful, intentional way, with a long-term vision for how you want your body to look, feel, and perform in 10, 20, or 30 years.
Coach Levi is a Holistic Health Coach with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy and an extensive background in Strength & Fitness Coaching. After obtaining his Doctorate in Occupational Therapy in 2019 from The University of the Sciences, Levi quickly transitioned into strictly serving clients on a 1:1 basis to focus on the impactful support of holistic health. As an entrepreneur and coach, Levi has worked across Philadelphia, Phoenix, and now, his new home in Austin, Texas.