To Build Muscle, You Need to Lift With a Purpose

Stop just going through the motions!

You know those people.

Those people that you see in the gym never make any gains.

After five years of seeing them most days working out, they still look like they don’t even lift.

#dadbodsforlife

They plod around and barely break a sweat. When they do, it’s doing some weird shit.

This might be you.

Turning up to the gym isn’t enough to change your physique.

Ask yourself these questions: are you happy with looking average? Would you prefer to look slightly better than average? Or, do you want to look really-fucking-good?

If we’re honest with ourselves, most people would prefer the body that turns heads when we are in our swimwear.

The problem is that this body isn’t easy for most people to achieve. Genetics, full-time jobs, families, other priorities etcetera…

We can use all sorts of excuses for why the body that we have is not the body we want.

That doesn’t mean that you should hide behind your “bad genetics” and accept that this is your body. Just because it isn’t easy doesn’t mean it’s out of reach.

Are you at the gym to build a physique that you’re proud of or to stop yourself from looking any worse?

If actions teach us someone’s true intention, then many people are at the gym purely to stop themselves from looking like crap. It is like a “glass half full” is the highest expectation for their body.

And that’s fine.

I guess?

If you are truly dedicated to building muscle, your actions must reflect this—day in and day out.

You require a tangible goal to be at the gym to shape a more muscular or “toned” body. A purpose to dedicate yourself to training. You must be determined to reach a specific goal.

This correlation between motivation and building muscle is even evident in the literature. One example is a 2019 study from Chaba and colleagues, which concluded that the more self-determined a person is to build muscle, the more belief they have that they control their behaviours, and then engage in activities to do so.

If your key goal is only to get to the gym consistently, then you’re really going to struggle to see any results.

If you observe anybody in the gym with a fantastic body, they’ll share similar characteristics.

Abs are made in the kitchen, but guns are made in the gym.

People with great physiques train with real intensity, and their exercise is structured to make progress. When they head into the gym, they know precisely what they’re doing tomorrow and next week.

They put in the effort and reap the rewards because of dedication to their craft and a specific goal to push themselves towards.

It doesn’t have to be a bodybuilding show.

It might be to improve your sex life or to deadlift 500 pounds.

Stop fucking around when you go to the gym.

Quit all the water cooler chat.

Focus. Get into the zone of pushing yourself towards those body goals. Become one with the dumbbell or some shit.

If you must socialise at the gym, try engaging with the guys/girls in the gym who have the body you want. But don’t bother them too much — remember, they are here to train.

Ask them questions about their training. You’ll be surprised how approachable most people are in the gym if you take an interest in their training.

You could have asked them to have a training session with them so they can help you improve your technique. Ask them to push you to failure so your body and mind have had the experience of reaching that point. You know what it feels like, and it might get you past a mental block.

This will give you context for how hard you must train to stimulate muscle growth and body recomposition.

This is crucial because research indicates that most people underestimate their limits in the gym and often are unwilling to push themselves to this point of discomfort anyway.

Stop working out like a pussy.

Set objective goals, like achieving a 250-pound bench press or building 16-inch arms. These are realistic goals for almost any guy to accomplish with the required application and dedication.

Good luck.

Now go out there and get it!!

XOX,

Coach Dan.

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