The 3 Most Effective Ways to Waste Time in the Gym

[stef]

by Mark Rippetoe

Time is money. Money is scarce these days, everywhere but DC. You want to be stronger, so you go to the gym. The best use of your time there is the simple progressive barbell training program we have discussed before, one that drives an upward strength adaptation with a programmed increase in load over a full range of motion using as much of your muscle mass as possible. This approach allows you to lift a gradually increasing amount of weight, thus making you stronger. Stronger means only one thing: you can apply more force with your muscles. The process of getting stronger improves the capacity of every aspect of your physical existence. So, getting stronger in the gym is the best reason to go there.


But it is incredibly easy to waste precious time once you're inside. Here are the top three...

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[hrobertv]

I needed the failure to progress part.
How exactly would I define easier anyway? I got to this weight by adding more weight after I succeeded on my last 3x5 work sets. Almost out of curiosity to see if I could. Why am I artificially stalling now?

I guess I'm surprised at how much I'm lifting and how fast I've arrived there. But why stop now? In my weaker lifts (SQ & OHP), maybe I thought it so light that it should be easy and have waited until it is. It will not, however, be easy if I stay there.

The picture of the page of logs on the website version of the article convicted me right away. "Not light yet." Haha

Thank you.