Keys to success - what's your top 3

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

Lets define success in this case as building a strong muscular physique.

If you had to pick 3 from the list below, what are you picking and why?

  • Consistency/discipline
  • Diet
  • Recovery
  • Program
  • Intensity
  • Equipment
2

From wrestlers to rugby players to gymnasts, people have successfully gotten bigger and stronger with a variety of programs, approaches and methods. As far as I can tell, the biggest thing(s) they have in common are:

  • Consistent training & recovery
  • Hard work
  • Good (enough) food

If you only had those three things, I reckon you could end being pretty goddamn formidable even if the only equipment you had was your own bodyweight, a tree and a couple of rocks

4 Likes
3

These 2 I agree with, for me hard work and consistency matter the most.

I want this to be true but wonder if equipment and variability of exercise plays a bigger factor.

4

Number one by far.

I feel like there is a lot of overlap, but diet is clutch. Eating can replace sleep if you need to.

Knowing what to do for growth is important. I’ve seen a lot of people try to burn out when they start and can’t move for days, get tired because they bought into a fast results program, feel exhausted, take cardio classes, whatever. Then they get frustrated because they feel they “worked hard.” Which they did.

I’d add mind-muscle connection, or some version of kinesthetic intelligence as an underlooked factor.

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5

If you were to assume that the basics were covered in both cases would your answer be the same.

Assume basic good diet - meat eggs and veggies (no complicated macro counting or weighing) and basic sleep but not optimised (no sleeping on the couch all day after training like Dorian Yates used to).

If the basics were covered, would you still pick either of these as key.

6

Diet.

I mean, he looked like he was poured out of a concrete truck in the shape of a human, so maybe everyone needs to consider the couch a peice of gym equipment.

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7

when I met him in 1994 he looked like he was the dump truck

8

It is difficult to pick from your list when everything is critical, but I’ll respond with my approach.

My experience to a strong muscular physique was:

  • Don’t overlook anything
  • Never believe that you know it all
  • Nothing great comes without sacrifices
9

These would all make great T shirts, but still interested in your 3 from the list. :grinning:

10

If I am limited

  • Consistency/discipline: Without this you are wasting your time
  • Diet: Critical to have nice body composition
  • Equipment: It might be a surprise to many, but I pick the gym I join mainly for the equipment. And I need to lift in a gym around successful lifters to keep my motivation high, attempting to get more muscular than everyone there (whether I achieve that is not critical. It’s the motivation to do so.)
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11

I like that you picked this one. I know there are people who get big and strong with limited equipment but I definitely agree that having the right gym can really push you to do more than thought you could.

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12

It is clear that without some it will be difficult, but if I have the right to choose only three of the things mentioned, I would choose these:

  • Consistency/discipline
  • Diet
  • Intensity
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13

Consistency/discipline
Consistency/discipline
Consistency/discipline

for all parts of the training and living

1 Like
14

This is also an interesting and much talked about idea. Assuming training was at a reasonable effort. Does intensify make that much difference ?

15

Ok so that’s 1 of the three. Assuming you have your discipline in all areas set. What are the other 2 areas you most focus on. Not everything can be equal.

16

The way I see it, you can get a sufficient stimulus for a whole bunch of different methods to be pretty big and strong, especially compared to most athletes.

100% though, maximising strength and size will require means to progressively overload ad infinitum, which generally will require at least a barbell and a couple hundred kilos of weights

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17

My number 1 is passion, even though not everyone can be passionate about this.

Someone passionnate does not need much consistency, he will want to do the work, for he loves it.

Someone passionate will look for the informations naturally, moved by an implacable curiosity.

Someone passionate does not need much motivation, as intensity will seem evident.

2 Likes
18

Ill add in simplicity.

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19

Finding ways to keep training when life gets rough and more than a bit tough is probably my number one key. So, avoiding perfectionism/all or nothing thinking could be part of this:

Example: I can’t make it to the gym today to train chest this week, so I won’t even bother! Replace this with a home work-out or an outdoorsy workout…make the most of a less than ideal situation.

Also, removing barriers that effectively enable and make it easier to justify procrastination/avoidance…put your home gym weights in order before you train, put your work-out clobber on before you go to the gym etc. Pre-prepare decent meals before you eat/fully cook up your food/post-work-out meal etc.

1 Like
20

I like this one, but for the sake of this discussion let’s assume we have that covered with consistency.
What 2 other factors would you choose.