These ten principles have been circulating in gyms for decades. Trends change, supplements come and go, but the core of a lifter’s work remains the same: lift weights, eat well, get enough sleep and stay healthy. Everything else is a detail.
Below is a brief, practical rundown – no parade of scientific papers, just the things that actually work when you do them consistently.
The lifter’s foundation: training and recovery
1. Training. Give your muscles a reason to grow. Endless sets get you nowhere – keep your rep count between 6 and 12 and train hard. You don’t need to spend more than one hour in the gym; quality beats quantity every time. Train 3–4 times a week, no more. The rest of your time is for recovery.
3. Sleep. Muscle doesn’t grow in the gym – it grows in bed. Depending on your individual needs, your minimum sleep requirement is 6–9 hours a night. If you consistently sleep less, your eating and training are practically wasted effort. During the first month of getting enough sleep, you’ll notice a change faster than you would with any new training program.
4. Water. Keep a bottle within reach throughout the day. Drink about 2 liters of water a day, and more on training days. Mild dehydration saps your strength and concentration before you even realize it.
The lifter’s diet
2. Nutrition. To grow, you need to eat – not a little more, but considerably more. During a growth phase, consume about 40 kcal per kilogram of body weight. Get at least 30 g of protein with every meal and eat 6–7 times a day. Don’t be afraid of fats; they are building blocks for hormones. Cut back on junk food and keep the foods that actually work in your diet: chicken breast, tuna, low-fat quark, eggs, rolled oats and rice.
Honestly, most people who complain that they’re “not growing” simply aren’t eating enough. Keep track of what you eat for a couple of days. The answer often becomes clear on its own.
The lifter’s resolve in the gym
5. Commitment. If you’re not ill or injured, you go and train. Period. Every missed workout is a step away from your dreams. Find a reliable training partner – someone who won’t let you skip workouts and will spot you when you attempt a new personal best.
6. The squat. If you have legs, want to grow and have a healthy back, you squat. There’s no getting around the king of exercises. The squat doesn’t just build your legs – it activates your entire hormonal system and stimulates growth in your chest and arms too. A lifter who avoids squats leaves half their potential gains on the table.
10. Proper form. Throwing weights around is easy. Lifting the same weight with proper form is hard. Focus on execution, not your rep count – seven good reps do more for you than twelve sloppy ones. Take pride in being one of the few people in the gym who actually trains correctly.
Mistakes lifters should avoid
7. Variety. Change your training program every 3 to 6 weeks. Change the exercises, their order or create an entirely new program. Vary your set types – supersets, negative sets and drop sets. Your body adapts quickly; you need to be quicker.
8. Don’t overtrain. A good program is short, intense and includes no more than a couple of exercises per muscle group. Limit the number of sets. If your progress has stalled, you’re often ill or you keep getting injured, take a break. Take 4–6 days of complete rest. You’ll be surprised when you return to the gym stronger than you were before the break.
9. Treat your injuries. An injury you ignore will stay with you for years. Rest as soon as something starts to hurt. A day off today saves you months off tomorrow.
Frequently asked questions about the lifter’s commandments
Do these 10 commandments apply to beginners too? Yes, especially beginners. The most common beginner mistake is doing too much, too often, with poor form. These ten principles keep your focus where it needs to be.
What if you can’t manage to eat 6–7 times a day? Start with four meals and have a protein shake between two main meals. Getting enough protein and calories over the course of the day matters more than whether you spread them across five or seven meals.
What if squats hurt your back? First, have someone experienced check your form – most back problems stem from a weak core or incorrect pelvic positioning. If the pain persists, temporarily replace your barbell squat with a front squat or goblet squat and add more core work.
Come and train! ArtGym
Author: Ilo Rihvk
Source: WHO – physical activity.
