Maybe this should be called “How I started out in weight training 46 years ago!” Hmm, how the time has flown, and I have always wanted to write a series of articles that might help some folk who are just starting in the world of fitness, gyms, and maybe even bodybuilding.

I have trained so many people over the years in gyms across the world and made so many mistakes myself. I have learned from many great trainers and bodybuilders who have always given me good advice. Now is the time to pass my training knowledge on, so you can benefit from my experience. What is the one piece of advice I would give to someone starting out as they step into a gym for the first time? Don’t copy other people! We are all individuals and what works for one person, might not work for you. I see endless training schedule in magazines, online articles, and videos, do this, do that and you will achieve this or that.

Don’t waste your time, you need to find your own path, your own route to your goals. Find what works for you!

That is not to say, forget the basics. In weight training it’s pretty simple, progressive overload builds strength and muscle. Your body adapts to the stresses you put on it.

Cycle your training as your nervous system and muscles can only deal with so much before they start to say “Enough is enough”. The classic syndrome of either overtraining or reaching your peak and finding you get stuck in a rut.

In four decades of training, I’ve burnt myself out so many times. I love training, I love being in a gym, it’s the one only place where I have been the most contented and the happiest in my life. It’s my home, my safe place, my world. It is not for everyone, you have to be single-minded, you have to be a perfectionist, who seeks an unobtainable goal, you have to have a massive amount of self-motivation to keep going year after year after year.

I remember being told when I first started out in the gym. “Oh, when you stop training all that muscle will turn to fat!” My thoughts were always. “Why should I stop training?”

I never have. At 5:30 am this morning I was pumping iron, as usual, still motivated, still keen to improve even though father time is determined to limit my progress. Will I ever stop training? Despite a couple of health setbacks, which knocked me off training for a few months, I have kept going strong, so not until I am physically incapable of not lifting a weight off the floor I am determined to press on and complete my journey.

I have done it my way, my path and hopefully, I can share some advice that might steer you in the direction you need to go.

Till next time, just remember you can achieve anything you really put your mind to.

Kev Rymell