It can be pretty bewildering to find the best way to a better body.
‘Take this supplement’, ‘try this workout plan’ or ‘do these exercises to get a six pack’, the advice is endless.
I’ve been training for 10 years to get to a point where I’m happy with my physique but I’ve made every mistake in the book.
Ask for help
It’s the biggest short cut you can take if you’re serious about getting in shape.
I’ve learned some hard but valuable lessons on the way to winning the Miami Pro and becoming an Optimum Nutrition-sponsored athlete. When I started out at 16 there weren’t any social media fitness to follow and there weren’t the off-the-shelf diet plans – you either bought a fitness magazine or watched what the older guys were doing in the gym.
For me it was trial and error. A lot of trial and so many errors – I look back now and think ‘why didn’t I do this differently, take advice or research nutrition properly.’
Research your supplements
You’ve all seen the supplement adverts – some hench guy holding up a tub of powder with some name like ‘Muscle Blast 5000.’
If you’re new to training, diet and nutrition you might think this is a quick fix to get you where you want to be. We’ve all been there and thought the same.
My dad gave me a protein powder when I started out – but I used to hide it under my bed because I didn’t want my mum to find it, for some reason I thought it was bad and illegal.
If you’re thinking about using a protein shake, read about it, understand what it is, why you use it and when’s the best time to use it.
If you’re going to start taking BCAAs or certain multi-vitamins, pre-workout blends, different sorts of protein – you need to understand what they’re for and why you may need them before you starting buying things or wasting your money.
Don’t expect quick miracles
‘Get shredded in six weeks’, ‘massive muscle mass in a month’ – you’ve seen the slogans. But realistically you’re not going to be massive in six months – let alone six weeks. Training is not a hobby it’s a lifestyle. Fitness is a lifestyle.
That’s when it starts getting real. You have to put a lot time into it and you have to make sacrifices in other areas of your life.
Do the basics right
There’s a lot of absolute nonsense out there. I would say to anyone beginning to train to focus on the foundation and fundamental exercises first. With muscle building, free weights are more beneficial than machines.
Machines isolate certain muscles so you won’t build an all-round physique using them alone.
Perfect form for maximum muscle growth
When I first started training I would try and push as much weight as possible just to show off. But ‘it’s not what you lift, it’s how you lift it’.
Don’t care about the number of plates on the bar and or what the guy next to you is pushing, once you get to that point, then you start winning.
You’re there to stimulate your muscle fibres – not to push a load of weight any old how.
Start thinking about your diet
There are lots of things like ‘eat big, train big’, ‘no carbs’, ‘fats are bad’, ignore them. don’t go mad with diet demands at this stage.
Make some small alterations to your diet, first of all make sure you’re getting good protein sources during the day.
Things you can change are breakfast, it’s your first and most important meal of the day. You want to be getting some good grains in – maybe some oatmeal or porridge. If you’re snacking, try and keep it healthy with nuts.
Be conscious about what foods contain good proteins and research carbs and start building your knowledge about how to use them and why they’re important.
If you start out this way, I’m convinced you’ll get those aesthetic rewards. Good luck!
Photography by Simon Howard
