The 6 rules of a great workout

Master these fundamental patterns to build strength, regardless of your age, fitness level, or equipment.

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Last Wednesday, we covered The Most Comprehensive Analysis of Strength Training Ever Assembled.

The review was a big deal in the strength science world. Since 2009, researchers have published more than 30,000 studies on resistance training. But no one had ever sat down to put all this new research into a comprehensive and useful whole.

Then a team did. Their work blew up some old ideas while giving us new ones that paint a refreshing picture of what actually works—and how to fit strength training into a busy life, whatever your goal.

After that post, a handful of readers asked me how to actually use these new recommendations.

Like, “OK, now that I know all that, how do I build a workout?”

Ask, and you shall receive. But—an admission. When I first sat down to write this post, I was planning to give you two sample workouts.

Then doubt crept in: What if a person doesn’t have this equipment? What if the gym is crowded? What if you can’t physically do one of the exercises, for whatever reason?

That stupid adage popped into my head: Catch a fish for a person, and they’ll eat for a day. Teach a person to fish and …

Today’s post is the strength training equivalent of teaching us to fish.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• The six things every strength training workout needs. (Think of it as a template for a great workout).

• Videos so you do everything correctly.

• How to put a workout together, no matter what equipment you have, where you are, or your fitness level.

• How to think about sets and reps for your workouts.

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