My editors asked me to condense my entire training philosophy into what you see here, and while I couldn’t really do that, I did arrive at four important take-homes that, if followed, will serve up consistent gains and fewer setbacks throughout your training life.

Adam’s 4 Tips

1. THINK FIRST, LIFT SECOND. Make sure your training is balanced and pays attention to your weaknesses. If you always do more pushing exercises than pulling ones, you know where to start.

2. APPRECIATE EVERY 5 POUNDS. All of strength training boils down to progressive overload. If you focus on adding five pounds to a lift each time you train it, you’ll see big gains.

3. FAILURE BRINGS FAILURE. If you can’t add five pounds you’re going too hard. Never train to the point where you can’t perform a rep with good technique.

4. DON’T SKIP CARDIO. The muscular system is fueled by the aerobic system, so keeping up cardiovascular fitness allows you to stay fresh longer during weight workouts.

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