Consistency Matters

I hear it all the time from guys my age:

“I don’t squat because of my knees, I don’t deadlift because of my back. I don’t have time.” You get the point. Excuses are a’ plenty.

I suppose this is the part where you assume I am going to go on a tirade about being tough, not making excuses, and trying hard—cue the Rocky montage and the motivating instagram reel made by a jacked 20 something.

Wrong and wrong again. The problem isn’t toughness, because that doesn’t come from muscles. That comes from your head and your heart in Jesus Christ.

The problem isn’t about making excuses. Some are actually good excuses, because for a grown man life happens. Maybe that gym rat making tripod videos of himself everyday has time to pontificate; but I have kids to feed and things to get done. Sometimes that gets in the way and that’s what it is. It’s life on life’s terms.

So how do you get results?

Consistency. Duh.

I listened to a Joe Rogan podcast years ago with an Canadian MMA fighter named Firas Zahabi, where he talked about consistency over intensity. It was one of those discussions that just hits hard and sticks well.

I stuck to that mantra and it has guided my approach since. Now at the age of 50, I’ve worked myself back up to training like I was when I was in my 30’s, and it wasn’t because I’m a genetic freak (they are out there), or don’t have injuries (I have to be careful). It is because I apply a consistent routine and avoid doing dumb things.

I never max out. Going 100% is for Powerlifters and Olympiads. Weekend warriors have no reason to go that hard. Calculating your 1 rep max doesn’t actually require you to DO a 1 rep max, and I use a waveloading progression to keep me from staying above 80% for more than a couple of sets in any given workout. Over the span of a mesocycle, I spend more time below 80% than above.

Here are the ways I apply consistency.

Time Consistency: Making ample time over consecutive days to allow for muscle adaptation and linear progression. It’s as simple as this: make time for yourself —because no one else will. Showing up for 30 minutes is better than 60 minutes if you do it consistently throughout the week.

Movement Consistency: Conducting the same movement patterns over time to develop mastery of the technique is how you get proficient and confident in your ability to progress. This is what Pavel Tsatsouline, calls “greasing the groove,” and is key to building stabilization and preventing injury. In other words do not be a gym hero and try to pull 405 off the floor when you haven’t tried a deadlift in a month.

Strength Consistency: Adequately challenging yourself to develop the strength and stabilization needed to move more weight, and apply power when needed. In other words, if you have time and movement consistency, but fail to stress the muscles adequately, then you will not progress. This requires you to linearly progress to at least 60%-70% of your 1 rep max for 5 reps or more.

Time + Movement+ Strength= Progression.

Here is the last thought; this does not happen overnight. It is a long term pattern that you develop mastery in. Do not cut corners, just enjoy the ride, and one day, you’ll be looking back and feeling pretty good for all the work you put in.

-Mike

This does not happen overnight for anyone.