Start with Strength

When it comes to your fitness journey, I recommend starting with strength-training before prioritizing conditioning training. While there isn't anything wrong with starting with conditioning, starting with strength saves time because you build a foundation first.

What I mean when I say Strength Training:

• Training muscles in a balanced way
• Usually means weights, but could be bodyweight training as well
• Starting at a 6-7 out of 10 in difficulty on most exercises

What I mean when I say conditioning:

• HIIT (High-Intensity-Interval-Training)
• Low-intensity cardio (running, rowing, biking for long distances)

Strength builds conditioning?

Progressing with higher rep ranges with moderate weight can give you a "cardio" feeling without technically doing cardio.

Think 4 sets of 10/side on  Bulgarian Split Squats
These would feel sweaty + spicy. 🥵 But technically we're still strength training here.

Through exposure to higher sets + rep ranges, you're able to build a higher limit when it comes to overall work. Because of this, adding conditioning will feel easier than if you started with it.

It's simple to measure

Adding weight to your squat this week? Doing 2 extra reps than last week? You can easily see the progression you're making week to week, and it's a satisfying feeling.

It's quality-focused

Because you have the sets, reps, and weight prescriptions listed, you're able to prioritize quality more than doing a ton of reps. There's usually rest between sets,  so you can recover and work with better technique than otherwise.

Strength invites mindfulness

To focus on quality, you need to have a strong "mind-to-muscle" connection. Thinking about technique and breathing allows you to stay present during training, which is a great skill to take outside of training.

With that said, start with strength, then build upon that foundation with conditioning. Save some time, train safer, get better results 🔥

Thanks for reading Weekly #51!