How to get stronger 101

Adaption (technically specific adaptions to imposed demands) is the grand-daddy of all growth and strength.

If you do not impose stress on your body, your body does not adapt.

Stress is acute and accumulative (so single sets, multiple sets, whole workouts etc).

This is more important than the exercise you chose, the time you train and the protein you eat. Like it or not, leg press done at stress beats squats done too easy.

If you do not beat your previous

1. total tonnage
2. rep maxes
3. accumulated stress

You will test lower in your next max out. Its odd lots of people find this confusing, but you need to get stronger to be stronger.

You get stronger via the very easy principles of progressive overload. Do more reps, more weight, or less time.

This is where the simple is sometimes better.

Exercise selection is hugely mental, but by keeping many of your main movements the same and consistent accessories, you can monitor your reps at weights.

If you do not track your progress, you are literally guessing every day of the week if things are working.

If you blag on your accessories, you will fall short. You need to accumulate stress (which why your program calls for accessories).

Exercise selection and volume/intensity parameters fall after the above two critical objectives.

So many people spend time faffing around working out sets, reps, and exercises, they forget to get to the gym and put in work.

It's such an old adage, but the work that matters is under the bar. Show up. Work hard. Build character.

Worry about the small things once you master the big things.