What Should You Focus on in The Gym

After a long hiatus I am back and we will be bringing more useful content to you guys soon.  Now, a lot of people go into the gym and they have no plan.  They don't understand what needs to be done in the gym, and they lack the skill to execute the effective movements.  The best thing to do is to admit you're not making gains and learn to focus on big barbell movements.  This is what the majority of people need to pay attention to. 

The average Joe is never going to compete in a bodybuilding show.  With this being the case, it wouldn't make sense to train them the same way a bodybuilder you would train a bodybuilder.  For the overwhelming majority, they're energy needs to be focused on making strength gains on the big compound movements in the 6-12 rep range for upper body and 2-8 rep range on squats and do 20 rep squats too.  When you double down on what works, you will make gains.

When you're doing what you're supposed to in the gym, you'll make noticeable gains and most people will come up with an excuse to talk to you.  The bare bones minimum is what is needed for most people, you don't need fancy techniques or long isolation exercises.

Average Joe Bare Bones Minimum Program

Leg Day:

Low Bar Squats: Work up to a heavy set of 2-5 reps and then complete 1 set of 20 reps

Walking barbell lunges:  4 sets 12 steps per leg

Romanian dead-lifts: 4 x 8 reps

Calf raise machine: 4 x 12-15 reps

Shoulders and Triceps

Overhead press: 4 x 6-8 reps

Dumbbell Seated overhead press: 4 x 12 reps

Bent over lateral raises: 4 x 15 reps

Close grip bench press: 4 x 6 reps

Weighted dips: 4 x 8 reps

Back and Biceps

Dead-lifts: 4 x 3-6 reps

Weighted chin ups: 4 x 3-5 reps

Bent over barbell rows: 4 x 10 reps

Lat pull downs: 4 x 15 reps

Barbell curls: 4 x 8 reps

Hammer curls: 4 x 8 reps

Preacher curl machine: 4 x 8 reps

Chest

Flat bench press: 4 x 6 reps

Incline bench press: 4 x 8 reps

Decline bench press: 4 x 12 reps

Dumbbell pullovers: 4 x 15 reps

That average Joe program is simple and it is effective.  Any one who does this program and makes gains is proof that the plan and training style works.  

That program is basic and bare bones minimum, if you have a gym membership, you will be able to do every single exercise.  This website focuses on gym training not body weight or calisthenics, so if you don't have a gym membership obviously you would have to do a modification of this and do what you can do.  

When you put your focus and energy on programs like this, you will make more progress in the long term.  This program will make you grow if you're bulking, and if you're cutting it will help you shed weight fast.  

How to make this program effective for you.  The best way to look at this program is to focus on the key lift of the day.  On push day it's bench press, on legs it's squats, pull day is dead-lifts.  This is where people struggle since there's so many exercises people don't know how to prioritize.  This means that you'll need to pay attention to the lift of the day, and do anything you can to help yourself add weight on the bar while continuing to use the correct form.  

Recap:

You need to focus on the bare essentials in the gym. 

This means putting at least 80% of your training focus on the big barbell compound exercises.  

Thank you for reading.

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Try the program and comment below with your results.