Tip Do the Opposite Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip Do the Opposite In training and in life the majority seldom gets it right Maybe it' s time to do things differently by Charles Staley July 10, 2017August 10, 2022 Tags Motivation, Powerlifting & Strength, Tips, Training The Majority Is Always Wrong So Do the Opposite Think about it: The majority of people have no goals. Therefore, establish goals for yourself. The majority of people don't train. Therefore, train. The majority of people think that seeing their doctor regularly is essential for optimal health. Nope. Having good health habits is essential for optimal health. The majority of people watch TV for several hours per day. Therefore, watch much less. The majority of people spend many hours per day in a seated position. Therefore, spend more time on your feet. The majority of people don't read. You're reading now. Good for you. I could provide hundreds of examples like this, but those suffice. But let's get a bit more specific and apply this rule to training and nutrition: You need to establish a context outside of your workouts to assess the value of your training, like you're training to improve your health, well-being, or athletic performance. Or, just for the sake of challenging yourself. When you train for performance, aesthetics will always improve. The opposite isn't usually true, however. Look, you know what I'm talking about. When you're feeling sore after a workout, you have a constant and gratifying reminder that you've actually accomplished something. But it's better to use your performance as a gauge of what you've accomplished than how much you hurt the next day. Numbers don't lie. If your numbers are going up, so is your progress. The reverse is not true however. I trashed my back once doing something really stupid. The fact that I couldn't tie my shoes wasn't a sign of progress. Once you've accepted that performance is a better measure of progress than pain, make sure the underlying purpose is rational and healthy. Is your incessant desire for a 500-pound bench press tied to any worthy context outside of just having a huge bench? If you're a competitive powerlifter, and powerlifting adds purpose to your life, your answer is yes. But for the rest of you, maybe not. Only you can answer this question, and it's probably worth some exploration. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip Don t Reach for the Bar With Your Chin It's one of the most common technique mistakes with chin-ups. Here's why and how to avoid it. Tips, Training Eric Cressey March 22 Training 8 Secrets For Building Your Best Upper Chest A developed upper chest will set your physique apart from the crowd. Here's how to build it. Training Andrew Heming October 9 Training Tip The Easiest Way to Get Healthier Increasing your performance in the gym and preventing many diseases can be as simple as going outside. Here's why. Tips, Training TC Luoma July 13 Training Tip Standing EZ-Bar Curl Mechanical Drop Set Extend TUT and recruit more muscle fibers with this tough mechanical drop set. Here's how to do it. Exercise Coaching, Tips Christian Thibaudeau March 14