I am currently running an Instagram poll with the question of what is more important to you…

Getting leaner

or 

Getting stronger

This is out of personal curiosity but at the same time it gives me ideas of things that I can help teach you 🙂

The poll is at 36% leaner / 64% stronger at the moment (feel free to vote on it by going to @matty.prince and checking out my story

Now what I wanted to write about today is what it take to have both

You see, strength and being lean aren’t mutually exclusive… 

You CAN and SHOULD aim to be both

Getting stronger won’t make you look like a super heavy weight powerlifter (unless you eat to look like that)

Getting leaner won’t make you look like a skinny giraffe (unless you eat to look like that)

So what does it really take to be strong AND lean at the same time??

1. Consistency across the board

Once you work out what it takes within your training (generally 4-5 sessions per week of RF sessions if a non-athlete or if playing sport it’ll be 2-3 sessions per week) you need to lock those sessions in and NEVER miss one.

I am very regimented with my training and the reason for that is because if I don’t pre plan and lock in times to train, I simply get side tracked and it doesn’t get done.

Once you know what your week looks like make other peoples agendas work around you and your training, not the other way around

If you don’t take care of yourself no one else will for you…

In terms of food, get used to eating the same sort of stuff

Where most people fail is the simple fact that they over complicate nutrition and they try to be 100% strict for blocks of time

Both of these things lead to ah ‘F*** it’ moments where because it isn’t perfect they do the absolute opposite because I mean they have already stuffed up so now KFC and Ice Cream are the only logical options before they get back on the health train next Monday.

Be consistent, not perfect…

2. Work harder

To be strong, lean and constantly moving forwards takes work.

Skipping reps, skipping cardio, going a weight that doesn’t suck by the last few reps or even finishing conditioning and thinking “well that actually wasn’t that bad” are all signs that you can try harder

Running 500m can be an easy warm up

or 

It can be the most brutal distance to run 

Know why you are doing what you’re doing and push accordingly

3. Train the right way

Athletes train with full body explosive movements and use strength and cardio training to amplify this

Walking on a cross trainer and doing isolated body building movements has it’s place but unless you are a body builder training 8-12 hours per week there are better ways that you can spend your time

Jump

Deadlift

Squat

Press

Do body weight movements like pull ups, push ups, lunges etc

Sprint

Carry stuff

^^^^ If you get really good at all of these things I will promise you with 100% certainty that you will not only be a weapon, you will look like one too…

4. Compete with yourself and if it helps you, compete with those around you

I train with Chaz and Jake (plus whoever else wants to jump in)

We talk shit to make each other better

We never compare ourselves against each other but if I am seen having a better crack than the boys they will compete to outwork me with their given weight

If I hit a 10kg PB they will aim for a 15kg PB

This is what training with a great group does, it makes everyone better

We all rise as one…

5. Have someone who knows the path lead you on it

Just remember that effort and consistency alone will take you a very long way but if you would like to be fast tracked you need someone who has taken others there before

At Royale we have taken guys from an 80kg bench press to 140kg+ whilst being shredded (it takes a few years to do this for the average person but it is worth the effort)

We have taken girls from just wanting to lose 10kg to becoming extremely high level athletes

We have taken guys from being severely limited by having a bad back and sore knees to squatting over 200kg

We have girls who with no athletic background have trained up and hit 42.2km Marathon runs

I don’t say any of this to scare you or to brag I simply want to point out that we know the path and we can help you hit your targets in a 1/3 of the time it would take going it alone

The only regrets that you will have when you start this journey is that you didn’t start it 4 years ago…

If you are ready to take your body to the next level just visit www.rfbacchusmarsh.com/application or shoot us a message and we will help you work out a plan of attack

Stay Strong
Matt ‘Do The Work’ Prince