5 Benefits of Lifting Weights

5 Benefits of Lifting Weights: A Comprehensive Guide

Lifting weights is one of the most powerful investments in time for improving your health and quality of life. Investing only two to three hours per week will make a positive impact. Below I discuss just five of the myriad of benefits-

Increased Muscle Mass and Strength

One of the most well-known benefits of lifting weights is the promotion of muscle growth and strength. Regular weight training stimulates muscle protein synthesis, leading to muscle hypertrophy. A meta-analysis published in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research" (West et al., 2012) found a significant correlation between resistance training and muscle mass gains in young adults. Moreover, a study by Peterson et al. (2011) demonstrated that resistance training can increase muscle strength by up to 40% after just four months.

Improved Metabolic Health

Lifting weights can have profound effects on metabolic health. Research conducted by Strasser et al. (2010) indicated that resistance training is effective in lowering HbA1c levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes, thus improving glycemic control. Additionally, a systematic review by Kelley et al. (2017) revealed that resistance training can lead to reductions in visceral fat, a significant risk factor for metabolic syndrome.

Enhanced Bone Density

Weight-bearing exercises, such as lifting weights, are crucial for maintaining optimal bone health. A study published by Mohammed H. Saiem Aldahr Bone Mineral Status Response to Aerobic Versus Resistance Exercise Training in Postmenopausal Women showed that resistance training can increase bone mineral density in postmenopausal women, reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Similarly, a meta-analysis by Zhao et al. (2018) highlighted the positive impact of resistance training on bone health in older adults.

Better Mental Health

Engaging in regular weightlifting sessions can have beneficial effects on mental well-being. Research by Gordon et al. (2017) demonstrated that resistance training can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Furthermore, a study published in the "Journal of Sports Sciences" (Hassmen et al., 2000) reported that weight training can improve self-esteem and cognitive function in individuals of all ages.

Enhanced Quality of Life

Lifting weights not only improves physical health but also enhances overall quality of life. A study by Christopher J. Keating found that resistance training is associated with increased functional capacity and independence in older adults. Moreover, a meta-analysis conducted by Sherrington et al. (2017) revealed that strength training can reduce the risk of falls in the elderly, promoting longevity and well-being.

In conclusion, lifting weights offers a wide range of benefits, including increased muscle mass and strength, improved metabolic health, enhanced bone density, better mental health, and an overall enhanced quality of life. Incorporating resistance training into your fitness routine can lead to profound improvements in both physical and mental well-being, making it a valuable component of a healthy lifestyle.

Compounded Progress

The Benefits of Incorporating Compound Exercises in Your Strength Training Routine

Strength training is an essential component of any fitness regimen. It not only helps in building muscle mass but also aids in increasing strength and improving overall health. When it comes to strength training, one of the most effective methods is incorporating compound exercises into your workout routine. Compound exercises involve multiple joints and muscle groups working together in a single movement, making them highly efficient and beneficial for achieving various fitness goals. In this article, we will delve deeper into the reasons why compound exercises should be an integral part of your strength training program.

1. Increases Muscle Mass and Strength Simultaneously

Compound exercises engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, allowing for more muscle fibers to be activated in each movement. This results in greater muscle stimulation and growth compared to isolation exercises that target only a single muscle group at a time. By incorporating compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench press, and pull-ups into your workout routine, you can maximize muscle recruitment and achieve noticeable gains in muscle mass and strength.

2. Improves Functional Strength and Athletic Performance

Functional strength is the ability to perform everyday activities and athletic movements efficiently. Compound exercises mimic real-life movements and activities, making them highly effective in improving functional strength. By training your body to work as a cohesive unit through compound movements, you can enhance your performance in various sports and activities that require strength, coordination, and agility.

3. Enhances Calorie Burn and Promotes Fat Loss

Compound exercises are known for their ability to stimulate the metabolism and promote calorie burn both during and after the workout. Since these movements involve multiple muscles working together, they require more energy expenditure compared to isolated exercises. Incorporating compound exercises into your strength training routine can help accelerate your fat loss goals by increasing your overall caloric expenditure and boosting your metabolic rate.

4. Saves Time and Increases Efficiency

One of the main advantages of compound exercises is their efficiency in working multiple muscle groups in a single movement. This not only saves time during your workout but also allows you to get more done in less time. Instead of spending hours focusing on isolated exercises, you can achieve a comprehensive full-body workout by incorporating compound movements into your routine. This time-efficient approach is especially beneficial for individuals with busy schedules looking to make the most out of their gym sessions.

I’m not an advocate of being a gym rat and I feel you should do the minimum effective dose when performing your strength training. If you want to do extra activity, find other activities outside the gym.

5. Reduces the Risk of Imbalances and Injuries

By engaging multiple muscle groups in compound exercises, you can help prevent muscle imbalances that can lead to injuries and postural issues. Isolation exercises, while beneficial in targeting specific muscles, may not address the overall functional strength and balance of the body. Compound movements promote balanced muscle development and coordination, reducing the risk of overuse injuries and enhancing joint stability.

This is applicable for the average person, but especially if you are engaging in high impact activities such as climbing and martial arts like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

How I Incorporate Compound Exercises

In your tool box you want to primarily be using these type of exercises as your bread & butter foundation -

Pushing - Dumbbell presses, push up variations, parallel bar dips, barbell presses

Pulling - Chin-up’s, pull-up’s, dumbbell rows, cable pulldowns & rows, barbell rows. horizontal bodyweight rows

Quad dominant lower body - Squats, Split Squats, Lunges

Hip dominant lower body - Deadlift’s, romanian deadlift, sumo deadlift, trap bar deadlift, single leg deadlift

The versions that you use will be relative to your level and regressions of the body-weight exercises can be found for even a beginner.

In Conclusion

Incorporating compound exercises into your strength training routine is a smart and effective way to maximize your workout results and achieve your fitness goals. Whether your aim is to build muscle, improve strength, increase athletic performance, or lose fat, compound exercises offer a myriad of benefits that can take your fitness journey to the next level. By integrating movements that challenge multiple muscle groups simultaneously, you can enhance your overall strength, functionality, and physique. Remember, it's essential to consult with a fitness professional or trainer to ensure proper form and technique when performing compound exercises to reap the full benefits of these powerhouse movements.

Using Double Progression for Better Results

Understanding Double Progression in Strength Training

Strength training is a vital component of any fitness routine, and one popular method to continuously challenge your muscles and make progress is through a technique called double progression. Whether you are a beginner looking to build a solid foundation of strength or an experienced lifter aiming to break through plateaus, double progression can be a valuable tool in your training arsenal.

What is Double Progression?

Double progression is a training method that involves increasing the weight lifted only after a certain rep range has been reached. This approach allows for a balance between volume and intensity, ensuring that you are progressively overloading your muscles over time. The two components of double progression are:

1. First Progression: This involves increasing the number of repetitions while maintaining the same weight. For example, if you are performing squats with 100 pounds and aiming for 3 sets of 8 reps, you would increase the weight to 105 pounds only after you can complete all sets and reps with good form.

2. Second Progression: Once you reach the top of the rep range with good form consistently, you then increase the weight for the next workout. Continuing with the previous example, if you were successfully doing 3 sets of 12 reps with 100 pounds, you would increase the weight to 105 pounds and go back to aiming for 3 sets of 8 reps.

How to Implement Double Progression

1. Choose Your Exercises

Primarily select compound exercises that target major muscle groups, such as squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, rows, and pull-ups. These exercises allow for maximal muscle recruitment and provide a solid foundation for strength gains.

If you are particularly aesthetically minded or have a sports-specific reason for strengthening a particular attribute, then some additional isolation exercises may be added. Treat these as the icing on the cake, you still need the compound exercises as the foundation. 

2. Establish Your Rep Ranges

Determine a rep range for each exercise based on your goals. A common range for strength is 4-6 reps, hypertrophy is 8-12 reps, and endurance is 12-15+ reps. Choose a range that aligns with your objectives.

If you are a woman or smaller individual, it may be useful to use a broader repetition bracket before attempting to increase the weight: 4-10 reps, 8-14 reps and 12-20 reps. 

For example, if your body-weight is only 50 to 60 kilos, jumping up from 6 to 8 kilos on a dumbbell is a much larger relative to your body-weight than it would be for a individual who is 80 to 90 kilos in body-weight. 

This same rule can apply to isolation exercises where the leverage is not as good. Here a broader repetition bracket can work better. 

3. Start Light

Begin with a weight that is challenging but allows you to complete the desired reps with proper form. This sets the baseline for your progression.

In the quest to increase your repetitions and, eventually, the weight do not allow your form to deviate from how you started, and you might find you may need to stick to a particular set and rep range to help hone your form before progressing further. 

A common trap is to decrease the range of motion as the reps and weight increase, which gives you a false sense of progression. If you are unsure, film yourself to keep it honest. 

4. Track Your Workouts

Maintain a workout log to record the weight used, sets, and reps completed for each exercise. Tracking your progress is essential to ensuring continual growth.

You can use an app, spreadsheet or simply a pen and some paper, whatever keeps you consistent.

5. Progress Wisely

Focus on gradual increments in weight to avoid stalling or risking injury. Aim for small additions, such as 2.5-5 pounds for upper body exercises and 5-10 pounds for lower body exercises. Again, this is relative to your own body-weight. The smaller the person, the smaller the progressions should be. 

6. Listen to Your Body

Pay attention to how your body responds to the training stimulus. If you experience excessive fatigue, persistent soreness, or joint discomfort, adjust your training accordingly to prevent overtraining. Sometimes back cycling the weight to a slightly lighter load may be needed. Its a long game and 2 step forwards 1/2-1 step back is better than hitting a plateau.

Benefits of Double Progression

• Structured Progression: Double progression provides a clear framework for advancing your strength levels systematically.

• Prevents Plateaus: By consistently challenging your muscles with increased reps before adding weight, you can overcome plateaus and continue making gains.

• Balanced Approach: The method combines volume and intensity in a harmonious manner, promoting both muscle endurance and strength development.

• Adaptable and Scalable: Double progression can be applied to various training programs and adapted to different fitness levels, making it a versatile strategy for all individuals.

In conclusion, double progression is a practical and effective method for advancing your strength training goals. By intelligently manipulating rep ranges and weights, you can foster continuous progress and enhance your overall performance in the gym. Remember to stay patient, stay consistent, and embrace the journey of strength development with the double progression approach.

How to have the best workout - 5 tips

Lifting weights is literally a superpower in regards to the positive effects on health & longevity.

It can be one of the most rewarding things you can incorporate into your life. However if some key foundations to your training is missing it can become a frustrating and ultimately demotivating endeavour. Here are 5 ways to avoid this trap and optimise what you are doing-

1, Use the biggest bang for buck exercises

Research shows that exercises that recruit the most amount of muscle also will deliver you the most results and a most time effective fashion.

Your exercising should be built upon a foundation-

• Squatting

• Deadlifting

• Lunging

• Pushing

• Pulling

• Carries

There are many variations of these movements that can by cycled between with each programme and some variations may suit certain proportions better than others.

You can be assured you’ll be making progress if your numbers are steadily increasing on these movements.

Now this is not to say that i’m against isolation exercises, I come from a bodybuilding background and so have extensive knowledge on how to build muscle. Isolation exercises certainly have value for certain muscle groups and for maintaining structural balance.

However in the grand scheme of programme planning they should be tertiary, especially if time is very limited.

2, Set a time limit

Giving yourself a deadline of being in and out of the gym in say 45-75 mins will pressure you to stick to your your rest periods and not faff around getting distracted by other stuff.

Certain rest periods will be required between sets so i’m not promoting jumping the gun on these as the body does need time to recover between sets for optimal performance.

However if the programme is designed intelligently this will be taken into account and the time spent should still be efficient & effective.

3, Elminate all distractions

With increasing discussion of transhumanism; ie being integrated into our technology I’d argue we are already there in the way we are constantly plugged into our phones today. Emails, text’s social media and other apps bleed away our time and concentration.

When you are in the gym I recommend you either put your phone on airplane mode or elminate it completely.

There should be no more input than some music if it helps you to keep focused.

You could use an app, spreadsheet or even paper diary (retro idea eh!?) to track your gym workouts.

4, Have a plan

You should have a programme well established that you commit to sticking to for 6-8 weeks.

Going to the gym and then deciding what you are doing that day is a good way to have a crappy workout. Think of it as a project and that you are committing to working on that project for the allotted time.

5, Have someone to hold you to account

Self motivation is a finite resource.

Having a peer who also likes to exercise or a trainer to keep tabs on the consistency of your frequency and progression is a valuable way to help push yourself harder.

Gym training should be an egoless pursuit when it comes at the expense of your exercise form breaking down but it does require some grit and hard work in order to progress.

You must expose your body to something difficult in order to give it the signal to repair and come back stronger in order to better handle it the next time. This is a key foundation of why the body adapts positively from training.

Exercise Is Not About Suffering

A certain mentality of suffering is promoted in many gyms these days. Both personal trainers, motivational speakers and certain types of group training environments there is a ‘hardcore’ attitude if you aren’t suffering lots when training or dieting then you aren’t doing it right.

This unfortunately puts off many average people from even trying to start exercising. They see it a a mountain not even worth attempting to scale.

Yes you have to work hard, achieving anything worthwhile in life takes hard work but its its not about machoism for the sake of it and it needs to be scaled appropriately according to the level you are at.

Below I discuss a better approach-

1, Training

Feeling like sh*t afterwards isn’t a measure of a good gym session.

It’s common these days to be bombarded by certain types of gyms and magazines promoting the attitude that working harder when exercising is always better. That you should always be crawling out of the gym after every workout in a sweaty puddle of destruction with nothing left in the tank.

This in my opinion is an idiotic and dangerous attitude.

Not only is approaching exercise like this is a sure fire way to quickly grow a hatred for it but I believe your chance of injury is also a lot higher.

This is especially applicable for beginners who’s fitness levels will be at a low baseline and haven’t yet built a better body awareness.

Sure you definitely need to train hard but you do not need to push every set to failure nor want to throw up after every workout, in fact I strongly discourage this as you’ll quickly plateau.

Steady Progression is the key

Your training needs to be focused on the key principles of getting stronger on primarily compound exercises whilst using good form. When combined with patience and persistence these are the ingredients for progress.

Now there are certainly limitations on how strong you can get otherwise everyone would be working up to a 300KG bench press. In order to truly maximise your strength you will at some point have to specialise your training (powerlifting as an example) but for the average person who goes to the gym this isn’t applicable and they are in most cases far away from their potential.


Like most things in life lifting weights will not always have a linear progression. There will be up’s & down’s and It’s natural to reach plateaus from time to time. This will require you to back off the weight you are using before ramping it back up again. The more advanced a lifter you become, the smaller the progress will be. What’s going on in your life; life stressors, quality of sleep and nutritional intake will also have an impact on your progress.

So there are many strategies to drive progress. Four key ways are:

1. increasing the weight you are lifting

2. performing more reps

3. adding more sets

4. reducing the rest period between sets.

I find its best to choose one of two of these methods per training cycle. Keep it simple.

Rep's & Weight Progression Example-

Flat Bench Press- 4 sets of 6-8 reps, 180 seconds rest

Week 1- 80KG x 8, 80KG x 8, 80KG x 7, 80KG x 6 = 29 reps total @ 80KG = 2,320KG total lifted

Week 2- 80KG x 8, 80KG x 8, 80KG x 8, 80kg x 7 = 31 reps total @ 80KG = 2,480KG total lifted

Week 3- 82.5KG x 7, 82.5KG x 7, 82.5KG x 6, 82.5KG x 6 = 26 reps total @ 82.5KG = 2,145KG total lifted

Week 4- 82.5KG x 8, 82.5KG x 8 82.5KG x 7, 82.5KG x 6 = 29 reps total @ 82.5KG = 2392.5KG total lifted

Squeeze out those small victories a rep and set at a time!

If you really want to get strong you have to look at this as a ‘long game’ and anyone who has increased their strength and transformed their body dramatically will have invested a number of years into the process.

2, Dieting

In a nutshell I feel that dieting shouldn’t be a sprint.

How many times have you already possibly tried crash dieting to then put the weight back on soon after possibly with a bit extra?

Yes creating a large calorie deficit for short periods of time certainly can work for a quick assault on your body fat but for most people this ends up being a yo-yo cycle.

During an aggressive diet you’ll likely be pretty miserable as you’ll be very hungry and possibly in a bad mood.

Whatever your time period is, one of the key important factors is maintaining muscle mass whilst dieting.

When in a calorie deficit you should ensure your protein intake is adequate. This for dieters is generally much higher than the RDA and for most people I set it at 2-3 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. The additional benefit of high protein is it helps with the feeling of satiety.

Adding strength training to this mix will further help you fight breaking down muscle and also help you to ‘shape’ your body that will look better at a lower body fat level.

You should aim at no more than 0.5KG weight loss per week and you should aim to do this over the course of at least 12 weeks ideally. If say you have more than 6 kilo’s to loose then you should aim to make this a longer time period to take this into account.

Again just like weight lifting dieting isn’t always a linear progression however you have to trust the process you are following reminding yourself whats most important.

Bodyweight will fluctuate lots depending on you hydration status, sodium intake, bowel content, hormonal cycle (for both men & women) and how much you have slept.

Track your weight without getting obsessed about it and look at the trend over the weeks and the month rather than from day to day. It’s much more likely to look something like this-

Wrap Up

Extremes whether they are with exercise or dieting are rarely sustainable.

Crafting a lifestyle that has good balance of exercise and sensible eating must incorporate patience and persistence.

In addition to this your fitness regime should complement your other interests in life, it should not be the sole focus.

In the pursuit of looking good make sure you aren’t missing out on health and living life!

Fat Loss Explained

In this article I address some key principles to focus on when your goal is fat loss-

1, You must create a calorie deficit

In order lose body fat you must create a deficit to your energy intake.

This can be achieved through changes to your eating or increases in your activity levels. I find changes to your eating the most efficient as it’s a lot easier to consume calories than it is to burn them. 

As a diet progresses and you lose fat you will have to gradually keep reducing the amount of calories you consume in order to continue to lose fat.

A lighter body expends less energy to move around in everyday activities and so your body as part of its survival mechanisms will attempt to balance this out by reducing your metabolic rate.

This is temporary and after a period of dieting this will gradually return to normal, you are not creating any long term damage. 

Keep these adjustments downwards small, no more than 5-10% at any given time.

You want to lose fat on as many calories as possible as this helps to maintain you energy levels for exercise and everyday life and combat levels of hunger.

You want to avoid you getting too ‘hangry’ as this is going to make you and probably others around you feel miserable and more likely to lead you to falling off of the wagon and binging. 

2, Strength training

You lose fat by creating a calorie deficit. Now in order to get your body to loose body fat rather than lean body mass (muscle) you have to give it a reason to retain that lean body mass. Strength training provides this stimulus and will help you ultimately achieve that ‘toned’ look once your body fat is low enough.

Creating a deficit to lose fat without this concurrent strength training means that a greater proportion of the weight you lose will come from lean body mass and whilst you will certainly over time still lose fat you’ll also lose lean body mass which will likely leave you with a less than aesthetically pleasing ‘skinny fat’ look.

Now this doesn’t mean that you have to go all in and start training like a bodybuilder, far from it. This is a common misperception that puts many people off of lifting weights. Bodybuilding is a very specialised pursuit and it takes years of consistent focused training to achieve that ‘look’.

For the average person weight lifting in addition to preserving lean mass when dieting will make your body firmer and you’ll look & feel better naked.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28507015/

3, Keep your overall daily activity levels high (NEAT)

Creating a calorie deficit is in nutshell subjecting your body to a small famine and body has some very clever in-built survival mechanisms to try to fight this.

One tactic it uses it to subconsciously encourage you to reduce what’s called your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). NEAT can account for quite a number of calories burned during a day on top of your BMR (Basel Metabolic Rate, the amount of calories you burn just to survive doing nothing).

Say you create a calorie deficit through food of 250 calories but at the same time subconsciously you start walking less, taking the elevator, lying down more etc. you’ll find that you can start to quickly make inroads on that calorie deficit and mint end up unconsciously sabotaging your results.

One easy way to counteract your levels of NEAT dropping is to monitor your daily step count. Say your average is 5,000 then aim to keep that constant throughout the ‘diet’, You may actually find upping this to 7,500 or even 10,000 steps per day as your bodyweight reduces will continue to help you lose body fat. A lighter body burns less calorie in every day activities.

• Get off a stop early or walk to work

• Use the stairs

• Get a stand up desk

• Manually clean things rather than using ‘labour saving’ devices.

• Plan a long walk at the weekend

• Find activities outside of the gym that get you active - Martial arts, dancing, climbing, swimming etc.

4, Optimise your Sleep Quality & Duration

Tigger knew the secrets to staying lean

A study highlighted to me in the book ‘Why We Sleep’ by Matthew Walker showed the amount of sleep you have directly impacts what weight is lost when on a diet. 

In a study, 2 group of people were put on a calorie deficit. One group in addition to this had restricted sleep.

Both groups on average lost a similar amount of weight.

However, for the participants who got only 5 1/2 hours sleep the amount of fat mass relative to lean body mass was significantly reduced- 1.3 pounds of fat and 5.3 pounds of fat-free mass compared to the group who got 8 1/2 hours sleep- 3.1 pounds of fat and 3.3 pounds of fat-free body mass.

In addition to this the sleep restricted group had increased levels of hunger as their Ghrelin levels (‘hunger hormone’) increased.

This very starkly illustrates the importance of getting good sleep. This should be an areas in addition to neutron that you should invest time in.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101004211637.htm

Here’s an article I wrote on improving your sleep - 15 Tips to Better Sleep

5, Set realistic goals and be patient

You don’t get out of or into shape overnight

Fat loss in order to make it sustainable and create a healthy relationship & lifestyle shouldn’t be a sprint.

Yes certainly you can have brief periods of dieting with a large calorie deficit but these should only be used for short periods of time and are unsustainable. From my experience of helping hundreds of clients, a slower more consistent timeframe for fat loss wins the day.

Adherence is ultimately the key. It’s all well & good creating a deficit for 5 days of the week but then at the weekend if you fill your boots on high calorific food and especially liquid calories (alcohol, with an added effect of reducing sleep quality) it’s very possible to sabotage the very deficit that you’ve created over the week. 

A useful strategy is to set your calories slightly lower during the week to allow for more of a ‘buffer’ of calories at the weekend which will enable you to be social when eating out or cooking with your friends & family without ruining your deficit. This doesn’t mean you give yourself permission to eat in a gluttonous fashion.