Over the last 3 months or so, I have been gradually increasing my calories with the intent of gaining weight. Along with this, I have been focusing on building strength, and thus consistently lifting weights harder/more often than I have for a couple of years. This has been a fruitful process so
far, and here are some of the lessons learned:
1) Eating more improves your training.
Obvious, right? Well, yes, but very few people actually realise this in action. I know plenty of people crushing it in the gym 4, 5, 6 times per week, while seemingly "perma-dieting". Their emphasis is constantly on eating less, and they end up lifting the same weights for years on end. This then creates a negative feedback loop of focus on eating less > make no performance progress > divert all attention to physique progress > focus on eating less... And
on the cycle goes.
Lesson: Eat to fuel your training and your performance will be rewarded!
2) Performing multiple activities demands adequate fuel.
This point is similar to the last, but specifies on the issue of concurrent training. My training consists of 1) BJJ/Grappling, 2) Strength Training, and 3) Conditioning Training. These 3 domains of physical training vary in terms of energy system contributions, but all demand energy for both fuelling and recovery.
Many people fall into the trap of using concurrent training as a means of simply burning more calories. This then results in suboptimal performance, recovery, and potentially increased injury risk down the line if inadequate fuelling is consistent.
Since focusing on eating more on a consistent basis, I have found that my endurance during these activities has significantly improved, and this then leads to less fatigue throughout the rest of my day.
Lesson: If you want to perform more training and benefit from it, make sure this comes with eating more food!
3) There is no rush to progress.
When I was younger, I was constantly in the pursuit of the "best programme". I would squeeze a couple of weeks of novelty out of a new plan and then switch to another. Even in cases where I was a little more consistent, I would find myself tempted to constantly train at 100% effort (to failure) in order to realise all of my potential in every session.
This, of course, is a mistake. I am now comfortable leaving reps in the tank, and sticking to programming when the novelty has worn off. I recognise that not every workout needs to be fun, and that the performance improvements will be delayed and require my patience. This has resulted in a very smooth transition back to higher training volumes/intensities with my lifting over the last couple of months, without much soreness along the way. Bliss.
Lesson: If you want to be at your best, get patient. Get comfortable with the boring workouts, and recognise that personal bests are harder to unlock with experience, and thus require greater discipline in adhering to the plan of action as novelty fades.
