Remember when I first started working out, I couldn't even bench press half my body weight. All I could think about was losing fat, getting six-pack abs, trimming my belly, and slimming my thighs to fit into skinny jeans. Then after watching some movies, I suddenly wanted to bulk up and get huge. I was constantly flip-flopping, which made me miss out on a lot of effective training plans. Today, I've compiled ten statements to settle things with my past self and offer reminders to fellow fitness beginners.

1. Never binge eat for muscle gain

If you follow Instagram accounts, you're likely familiar with “fat bulking.” Simply put, it suggests you must eat excessively to build muscle. Stay level-headed during bulking phases. I know you want to get bigger, but stick to the fundamentals. 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is sufficient. Consume it every four hours. If you crave an extra post-workout shake, go for it—but stay away from anything fatty.

If you try to bulk up by eating like a “family-sized bucket,” you'll be too nauseous to train within three days. Expect constant gas, insomnia, bloating, and your girlfriend complaining.

2. Stop obsessing over your physique

In my first two months of training, I had a terrible habit: standing in front of the mirror waiting for my abs to show. “Why only two lines?! Did I mess up my training?!” Then I'd frantically search for “effective ab workouts,” doing crunches everywhere—on the bus, while reading, even mid-conversation. Not only did people find it weird, but I saw little results.

If you're just starting out, please, please don't fixate on your physique. Stick to a disciplined 4-day-a-week routine, and you'll see changes within three months.

3. Start with compound movements

Bench press, squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, rows, pull-ups—make sure these are in your training plan. Don't worry if they seem too hard or you don't know how to do them. I've covered proper form in previous technique articles more than once.

Beginners have their own training principles. Mastering the most fundamental techniques and focusing on moving the barbell is sufficient.

If you have no history of injury, you have no excuse to avoid squats, deadlifts, bench presses, overhead presses, rows, or weighted pull-ups. These should be the cornerstones of your training. Only then should you incorporate isolation exercises for arms and shoulders.

I deeply regret avoiding squats and deadlifts because I disliked my legs getting thicker. Now that I've resumed lower-body training, my legs look more defined without affecting how my pants fit.

Most importantly, leg training has unlocked new growth in my overall dimensions.

If your workout plan is 70 minutes, dedicate 50 minutes to compound movements. Twenty minutes for arms and shoulders is perfectly sufficient.

4. Skip the fancy techniques

My upper chest isn't full enough—what should I do? Do guillotine bench presses. My bench press weight keeps fluctuating—what should I do? Alright, lift your legs high and let's build brute strength. My abs aren't defined—what should I do? Jump rope while standing on this stability ball. Yeah, that's it! Don't worry about falling—every beginner does.

Forget these “techniques” immediately!!

5. Add Plates Weekly

As a beginner, focus solely on the fundamentals. Techniques, variations, and fancy moves aren't for you right now. Your only task: add plates every week.

Theoretically, newcomers can increase their weight by 1-2kg weekly. Compound movements can yield even greater gains. So just add plates and log your progress. But week after week, you'll notice your progress slowing down. Your plate gains might drop from 5kg to 1.25kg. Trust me, this is a great sign. All you need to do is shift your mindset and tweak a few small things.

If you can't add more plates, increase your sets. If you can't add more sets, increase reps per set. If you can't increase reps, drop a plate and add more sets. Your progress lies within this cycle.

6. Always stick to conditioning workouts

I get it—strength training feels amazing. You get that pump, and you see yourself getting bigger.

But understand this: the improvements conditioning brings to your cardio, explosiveness, and flexibility will benefit your weightlifting in every way. You'll learn more techniques, master better force application, control, and speed. Conditioning will absolutely help you.

7. Grab a notebook and track your numbers

This act marks your transition into a true trainer. I recall my earlier workouts—adding or dropping plates based purely on mood or feeling. That unscientific approach wasted so much time.

If you don’t know your numbers per session—sets, weight increases, total volume—how can you assess whether a workout was effective? Whether you’re actually progressing?

“Ah, I hit failure today. I’m exhausted. That means I hit it right.” "

If that's your mindset, you're destined to remain just an exerciser, not a disciplined trainer.

Now listen to me: go buy a notebook. Write down every detail—how many kilos you bench pressed today, how many sets you did, whether your squats were 5x5, 10x10, or 3x8, and whether your bicep curls were form-perfect. Record it all.

Next, in next week's plan, add 2.5kg to each exercise.

8. Absolutely do not train 6 days a week.

Newcomers to fitness often think: “If I train more, I'll gain faster.” So they meticulously plan split routines—chest, back, shoulders, legs, arms on weekdays, a full-body workout on Saturday, then rest on Sunday.

This is a highly theoretical notion. First, you simply cannot sustain such high-volume training. Your nervous system will rapidly fatigue, leading to insomnia, nausea, loss of appetite, and poor mental state. Defying this, you might force yourself to drink pre-workout supplements to boost energy, only to push harder and exhaust your nerves further, creating a vicious cycle.

I've lived this firsthand. I once trained six days straight for a month, constantly complaining about inconsistent bench press performance and wildly fluctuating weekly weights. My lack of appetite and irregular eating actually caused my size to shrink. So I sincerely advise you: stick to 3-4 workouts per week. You can split it into chest/back, arms, legs, and conditioning.

Going back to what I said earlier: stick to compound movements, track your numbers, and getting bigger becomes ridiculously easy.

9. Shut the up about “no pain, no gain.”

I've called out this toxic cliché on every platform countless times. So many people misunderstand what “pain” means, pushing themselves to by adding insane weight or forcing movements beyond their flexibility. Even when they feel pain, they decide to endure it, convinced that's how they'll get the best results.

Pain here refers to soreness—that burning sensation of lactic acid buildup during training. It absolutely does not mean the sharp pain of muscle tears or tendon inflammation. I once tore my supraspinatus tendon during an incline bench press, taking a full year to fully recover. But the exercises and training plans I missed due to that injury? That was a huge loss.

So, if you're injured, see a doctor. If your knees pop during squats, don't dismiss it—get an X-ray. If your shoulders constantly ache, massage won't fix it, nor will foam rolling. Just go see a doctor.

So warm up properly, execute movements correctly, and never wear pain like a badge of honor.

10. Always compare yourself to your future self.

If you have a big dream, believe you're far stronger than you imagine.

I can't count how many people have transformed through fitness—gaining positivity, changing their lives, even making lifelong friends. I'm a prime example of its benefits. Fitness is an incredible journey where you'll meet masters, climb the ranks like a martial arts grandmaster, spar with seasoned coaches, and exchange techniques.

Stay optimistic and keep pushing forward the right way!