What is the best way to train for me?

There are so many different types and styles of training. But knowing which type of training is going to help your goals is confusing. How do I train to lose weight? How do I train to gain muscle? How do I train to be healthy? All of these questions I will answer and hopefully help you decide the best way for you to train for you. The first and most important thing, that will dictate everything else you do is this -

Do what you enjoy

The first and most important factor that will determine the way you should train is to do the thing you enjoy. Now, this might not be the “optimal” way to train for your goals but it will keep you consistent. And no matter what your goals are, if you aren’t consistent, you won’t get anywhere. Consistency is the key to success. Doing what you enjoy is most likely to keep you interested. Think of it like finding a new TV Series, you are looking for the one that ticks all the boxes and keeps you engaged. You wouldn’t sit there for hours watching Prison Break, would you? The same story over and over again… I thought better of you. 

Picking a type of exercise or even a list of exercises that you enjoy will keep you training for longer.

Now you don’t have to JUST do the type of training you enjoy, you can just sprinkle it in. For example, if I was going to train 2x per week, I would make the 1st half of my session be the type of training which is going to help me get to my goal, and the other half be what I enjoy. If you love running for example but want to build some strength in your legs. I would strength train for the 1st half of my session, then run for the 2nd half. Another way you could do it is, 1 day I would strength train and the other day I would run. This means I am getting what I want, and what is good for me. 

Figuring out the best way to train comes down to your goals ultimately, so in the next section, I’m going to break down the goal and what I recommend. 

Losing body fat

Losing body fat is always difficult to do, check out this blog on What is a calorie deficit and how to tone up for more information on how to do this and the components that go into it. When it comes to training, the best way to use body fat is, once again. Do what you enjoy. 

Exercise has such little impact on the weight we lose, that you are better off training the way you enjoy. At least you will be happy. Going into the gym with the sole purpose of losing weight will only make you leave feeling down, frustrated and on the way to never training again. Now the way I suggest you train when losing weight is to lift weights for the majority of your training. 

The reason for this is that you want to lose body fat and not lose muscle. So if we follow the rules of being in a calorie deficit, but we don’t do resistance/strength train, we are likely going to lose muscle as well as body fat. Of the weight you lose, 6O% will be from body fat, and 40% from lean body mass. Whereas strength training starts to shift it towards 80% body fat, and 20% lean body mass. The reason this is so good to know is if we strength train we can keep hold of muscle. Heck, you can even build muscle. So that’s why I suggest trying to lift weights for 80% of your session(s), then use things like walking/daily activity and diet to help you to get into your deficit. 

Gaining muscle 

Gaining muscle is a slow process, it takes so much longer to gain muscle than it does to lose body fat, this is why I recommend “bulking” for 3x as long as you cut/diet. This can be done through one long, slow and consistent surplus, followed by a long/slow cut. Or by a short 4-8 week surplus, followed by a 1-2 week cut. 

The best way to train for gaining muscle is to lift weights, focus on making your form look as good as it can, and then focus on getting stronger. I’m a huge fan of connecting to your muscles, and really trying to feel them work. I think this often gets people to find the right position/form which will allow their muscles to work correctly. Every exercise targets certain muscles, and every muscle has a job to do. To make sure the muscles are doing the job they are supposed to do, the form has to be correct. If I perform a back squat I can bias my glutes by hinging from my hips more and having a smaller knee bend, the other way is bending from my knees more and biasing my quads. The same movement, performed in a different way, can work a different muscle. So to get muscles to work, you have to lift weights in the correct way. Otherwise, something else will take over. 

A lot of the training information I have collated over the years has come from people such as The MindPump guys, Dr Jordan Shallow, Mike Van Wyk, Kuba Clein, Jordan Peters, Mark Wood, The Hypertrophy Coach, Coach Eugene Teo, and many many more. All of these people have their own ways, thoughts and opinions about training and I have developed my own style from the thoughts and advice of these people, I mean they are giants in the fitness industry, and success leaves clues. But all of these people believe in one thing, work smart and work hard. So if you are wondering what should you do training-wise to build muscle, it is to work smart and work hard. Learn how to lift weights correctly. My own YouTube has videos on there, but all of the people I have mentioned above have awesome YouTube and podcasts which can teach you a lot. 

So building muscle comes down to working hard but working smart. But once again, take into consideration that what you enjoy, is the most important thing. So you don’t have to do a certain exercise if you don’t like it, just because someone says you should. Do what works for you, do what you enjoy, and what you can progress on over the weeks and months and you will build muscle. 

To be healthy

Yep, you’ve guessed it, do what you enjoy. I think there are a few things that everyone should be able to do and as we get older we need a lot more protection against illness and ageing. Because of this, I think people should do a few things. 

Long Aerobic Cardiovascular training. Once or twice a week 30-40 minutes of zone 2, low-intensity cardio. Not going crazy intense but moving at a sustainable pace for that amount of time. The reason for this is that aerobic cardio has been shown to have the biggest positive impact on mental health, not to mention the improvements to your cardiovascular system. The system that literally keeps you alive. Even if this is a brisk walk with your dog once a week, walking around a new forest/lake or running a marathon. It doesn’t matter. You could ride a bike or sit on a rowing machine. It's just about moving and challenging your lungs and your heart. 

The next thing is doing some kind of strength training. For the rest of your life if you can stand up from the floor without using your hands, balance on one leg and touch your toes. Then you are going to be in an amazing position to be healthy. Being strong enough to perform a bodyweight squat, or press yourself up from the floor, being mobile enough to touch your toes and fit enough to walk up a hill for the rest of your life will keep you fit and healthy. 

Strength training should be done with the correct form, and as always look at exercises as skills. Cardiovascular training shouldn’t be there to kill yourself, it should be to make you feel better. It's not punishment, it’s challenging but doable. Mobility work should be recovery, it should be controlling your body, and being able to move freely. 

Of all of the different ways you can train the most important is always doing what you like plus what is good for you. I will always recommend strength training but I will always recommend that enjoyment comes first.