The Motive is Muscle - Beast Over Burden - #521

What is the goal of long-term strength training or barbell training? Muscle is the motive. It's your health & capability 401k. Niki & Andrew explore their changing mindset and training.

The Motive is Muscle - Shifting the Goal

The measurement that is most correlated with force production (strength) is the cross sectional area of muscle mass.

Basically, more muscle means you're stronger. Strength equates to more capability.

At some point, though, if you only value force production, whether it be because of gyms closing or an injury or getting older, your PRs are behind you.

What is the goal?

You could say it's to keep your PRs as high as possible, but for many, that's is pretty unmotivating.

Muscle is the motive.

Aim to accumulate hard sets each workout, each week, and increase stress over time.

As you get older, it gets harder to add muscle mass (but not impossible - it's never to late to start training!).

Aim to build muscle and keep training.

Muscle is the Motive - Shifting the Mindset

This changing goal requires a changed mental approach. We have stressed PRs for year - and we still celebrate PRs.

Especially when someone begins to train, PRs help motivate as well as measure progress.

Gaining muscle mass and focusing on hypertrophy is harder to change. It takes awhile to measure progress, and it's even harder than with strength training to remember the goal of each training session because there is not necessarily a scheduled PR attempt lurking days, weeks, or months off.

Really, because at some point - whether it be a permanent shift or temporary period of life - you have to train knowing PRs aren't coming.

Hopefully, at this point, you've built up the habit. Try to ensure you enjoy training (understanding you won't enjoy every rep, set, or workout). And, worse case, take your medicine, because it's good for you.

Muscle is the motive. Gaining muscle mass is the goal. Go get it.

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