I wish I knew to focus on compound lifts when I first joined the gym.
The Machine Circuit That Got Me Nowhere
When I first joined a gym, I was intimidated by the free weights section. I spent my first six months just wandering between the isolation machines—leg curls, bicep curls, chest flys. I was putting in the time but seeing almost no real change in my physique. I finally hired a trainer for one session, and he taught me the squat, deadlift, and bench press. It was humbling, but after a month of focusing on those big, compound movements, I saw more progress than I had in the previous six months combined.
I wish I knew that diet was 90% of getting abs when I was 18 doing endless crunches.
The Six-Pack I Couldn’t Crunch My Way To
At 18, all I wanted was a six-pack. I would dedicate 30 minutes every night to an intense ab routine—crunches, leg raises, planks—until I couldn’t move. My abs were definitely strong, but they were hidden under a layer of pudge. I thought I just needed to do more reps. It took me years to understand the simple, frustrating truth that my friend, a fitness competitor, finally told me: “Abs are revealed in the kitchen, not built in the gym.” No amount of crunches could ever out-train my poor diet.
I wish I knew about progressive overload when I was starting to lift weights.
The Plateau I Lived on for a Year
For an entire year, my bench press was stuck at 135 pounds. Every Monday, I’d go in and lift the exact same weight for the exact same number of reps, and then wonder why I wasn’t getting any stronger. I thought I had hit my genetic ceiling. An older lifter at the gym saw my frustration and introduced me to the concept of progressive overload. He said, “Your body has no reason to change. Add 2.5 pounds to the bar next week.” That tiny, consistent increase was all it took to finally break my plateau.
I wish I knew that building a wide back and shoulders was the key to a V-taper when I was only training arms.
Chasing the Arms and Ignoring the Frame
Like most young guys, my main fitness goal was to get bigger arms. My workouts were 50% bicep curls and tricep pushdowns. But I still looked narrow and small in a t-shirt. I complained to a more experienced lifter, and he said, “You’re decorating the room before you’ve built the house. A V-taper comes from a wide back and broad shoulders.” I switched my focus to pull-ups, rows, and overhead presses. He was right. Building the frame made a much bigger visual impact than bigger arms ever did.
I wish I knew the importance of eating enough protein when I was a “hardgainer.”
The “Fast Metabolism” That Was Actually Just a Small Appetite
For years, I wore the “hardgainer” label like a badge of honor. “I can eat whatever I want and not gain weight,” I’d say. I was working out, but I wasn’t growing. I finally decided to track my food intake for a week, just to see. The results were shocking. I wasn’t a hardgainer; I was just seriously undereating, especially on protein. I thought I was eating a lot, but I wasn’t even close to what my body needed to build muscle. I started eating enough, and suddenly, my “fast metabolism” wasn’t an issue anymore.
I wish I knew that I didn’t have to live in the gym to get results when I was first starting.
The Two-Hour Workouts That Led to Burnout
When I first committed to fitness, I thought more was always better. I’d spend two hours in the gym every day, doing dozens of exercises. I was exhausted, constantly sore, and after a month, I burned out and quit. A few years later, I tried again, but this time with a program that called for just 45 minutes of intense, focused work, three times a week. The results were ten times better. I learned that the quality and intensity of your workout is far more important than the duration.
I wish I knew how to perform the main lifts with proper form when I was a beginner.
The Ego Lifts That Led to Injury
My first year of lifting was all ego. I wanted to put as much weight on the bar as possible, especially on the bench press. I’d arch my back, bounce the bar off my chest—anything to move the weight. I felt like a hero in the moment, but my progress stalled, and I developed a nagging shoulder injury that set me back for months. I wish I had spent that first year with an empty bar, perfecting my form. Building a solid foundation of proper technique is the fastest way to get strong safely.
I wish I knew that walking was a superior fat loss tool to jogging when I was 20.
The Jog That Spiked My Hunger
To lose weight, my go-to was always a grueling 30-minute jog. It would leave me exhausted, drenched in sweat, and absolutely ravenous. I’d often end up eating back all the calories I had just burned. It wasn’t until later that I learned about the power of low-intensity, steady-state cardio. I swapped my jogs for long, daily walks. Walking burned a surprising number of calories, didn’t make me hungry, and didn’t spike my stress hormones. It was a much more sustainable and effective way to manage my weight.
I wish I knew the importance of neck training for my overall frame when I was only focused on “mirror muscles.”
The “Lollipop Head” I Accidentally Built
I spent years building my chest, shoulders, and arms. I was proud of my progress, but one day I saw a photo of myself and realized something looked off. My body was getting bigger, but my neck was still thin. It created a “lollipop head” effect that undermined the strong frame I was trying to build. I started adding direct neck training—simple curls and extensions—into my routine. It felt strange, but thickening my neck was the final piece of the puzzle that made my physique look truly balanced and powerful.
I wish I knew that consistency was more important than intensity when I was burning myself out.
The Perfect Workouts I Never Did
I had a “perfect” workout plan that was incredibly intense and demanding. When I had the time and energy, it felt great. But most days, I didn’t. If I couldn’t do the workout perfectly, my perfectionist brain would tell me to just skip it. As a result, I was only working out once or twice a week. I learned that a “good enough” workout that you do consistently is infinitely better than a “perfect” workout that you rarely do. Consistency is the real secret sauce to long-term results.