The Strength Training System That Gets You Real Workout Results

Have you been working out for a while and haven’t seen the results you want? Or have you been putting off starting a workout plan because you’re overwhelmed by all the possibilities? We’re going deep today! Instead of talking about reps or specific exercises, we’re going to talk about about a strength training system. The core ingredients of this system are what help you get hella strong. In this blog article I talked about why you would want to get strong, but this article is a roadmap to how you get strong.

There are three ingredients I use in all my programs and courses to help people create strength programs. They combine to show results quickly, but also make those results last long-term. Those three ingredients make up what I call the RGB Strength System!

The Core Ingredients

The core ingredients of this system are [R]eal-Life Strength, [G]row a Fitness Mindset, and [B]asics for YOUR body. They go far beyond just throwing some exercises together. This system creates a program that applies directly to your life and makes strength training feel like an experience, not a chore.

If you’re unfamiliar, RGB = red, green, and blue, the primary colors of light (hi, my graphic designer side is showing…). You might’ve seen it before when choosing a color for something on a computer or phone. I’m all about color and colorful things, so I decided to name each of my three core strength training ingredients after one of the primary colors. Just like red, green, and blue are essential to creating the colors you see on this screen right now, each strength ingredient is essential to getting stronger.

Something important I want to point out- the RGB Strength System is a pie chart made up of three pieces. It’s not a progression of steps. A strength program needs each of these three ingredients. It’s up to you, your goals, and your fitness experience to determine how much you focus on one over another for a period of time. For example, if you come to me with zero strength training experience (totally normal, btw!), we’d focus the most on Basics at the start and more equally involve all three ingredients a few weeks later. No matter your training experience, you’ll still need all three ingredients working together to create a successful workout plan.

As I go deeper and explain each ingredient, do an audit of your workout plan. Which ingredients are missing in your current plan? If you don’t currently have a workout plan, consider how each of these could apply to your life and help you create a workout plan moving forward.

Real-Life Strength

When you go to the gym, you think about doing things with perfect form. But in real life, you’re not typically thinking about moving with that same perfect form you’d have in the gym. What if you trained the same way you moved in real life? For one, you’d get injured way less often (which includes that pesky knee or tweaking your neck/back).

Fitness programs have a way of deconstructing people into body parts. You hear “work your legs,” “it’s back day,” “get that bicep pump.” This stems from bodybuilding programming, which has become mainstream. It’s what you usually see when you search for strength training programs. Isolated exercises can be great for specific purposes, but most people are trying to move well, not get super jacked.

Instead, my training looks at how your whole body moves and works to help all of your muscles function together. I’m a certified Applied Health and Human Performance Specialist, which is a lot of words to say that I’ve spent a lot of time studying how the human body moves and how to help your body move its best. That’s why all my programs have a movement component. I want to help you identify the ways your body moves in real life. Then we add those into your training program so that when you move, you can move confidently in any direction. If you’re looking for lifelong strength, combining strength and movement is the key.

Check: Does my workout include full body exercises that move in a variety of ways? If your program doesn’t, don’t feel bad. This is one of the most excluded parts of a training program.

Grow a Fitness Mindset

How many times have you been excited to start a new workout plan just to ditch it a few weeks later? If you’re like me, probably many times! When I started strength training and stuck with it for years, I learned that fitness isn’t solely about your muscles getting stronger. It’s about changing how you think about moving your body so you can stick to that habit for a lifetime. 

If you view fitness as a chore or hate training the way you’re “supposed” to, it’s important to address that negative fitness mindset. This includes analyzing your past experiences with fitness, learning behavior change strategies, and creating habits you can stay accountable to. When you walk away from one of my programs, you’ll equate fitness with essential self care, something you find enjoyable. The goal is to create a movement plan that fits into your life, not overtakes it.

If you want to finally stick to a workout plan, you need to grow your fitness mindset!

Check: have you done any mindset or behavior change work around fitness? Do you think you have a healthy relationship with fitness? If you find you need some help in this area, check out my five day fitness mindset refresh course, Train Your Brain.

Basics for YOUR Body

Now for the final ingredient of this strength training system! The basic exercises of strength training don’t change (squats and deadlifts will never go out of style!), but did you know there are many ways to do each of them? I’m not here to choose exercises for you or police how you’re doing them. You’re the expert on your own body and you should feel encouraged to make those choices for yourself! Out of all the different variations of basic strength exercises, I promise there is at least one that will work for your body. When you take the time to find variations that will work for you, they’ll be more effective in the long run.

When I first began going to a gym, there were times the coaches said to do specific exercises. I got nervous because I didn’t know how to do them or thought I would hurt myself if I did. Unfortunately, they offered no variations to the class and I left feeling intimidated and small. I never want anyone else to feel like that. It’s why I prioritize giving options and guiding people towards finding what works for them. 

Check: Do you feel comfortable doing all the basic strength exercises? Do you avoid certain exercises because you’ve heard negative things about them?

If you’re ready to set up a strength training system, answer the questions after each section! You can use that to make some changes to your workout program! If you’re looking for help with this and you’re ready to finally commit to a workout program: find my programs and courses here.