Few words from me to you

When I just started out training in the gym, I did my research online, watched lots of videos of people performing the exercises - you know the drill.

I found a bodybuilding/hypertrophy routine and started training, and things were going well until few weeks have passed. I started feeling constantly tired, on the edge all the time, and just couldn't properly focus while I was working at all.

I also took a look in the mirror and compared my current physique with the one which I had when I just started out - and, somehow I looked just like a smaller version of myself. I didn't have visible muscles, I was just skinny (with still bit of fat around my waist and chest).

In a nutshell, I wasn't doing something right.

So once again I started doing research (this was much much earlier before I've met fitness coaches online).

I found out the following:

• My muscles were quite well accustomed to the weights which I've been training with
• My body was not getting enough "fuel" so it couldn't be fully recovered for a new day of training

This brings me to my first advice to you and that is in my opinion, as a total beginner, one of your main priorities while exercising should be to increase weights on our exercises (constant progression).

So, every new training day you should be increasing at least 2.5lbs on your compound movements (bench press, squats, deadlifts) and the same amount on secondary/assistance exercises (triceps, biceps, etc.). Please have in mind that assistance exercises are harder to progress on so if you can't add more weight, try squeezing another repetition in there.

Before we move on, let me give you four most important things which I'd recommend for you:

• Get at least 7 hours of sleep every day
• Drink at least 1 gallon (2 liters) of water
• Eat enough calories
• Increase weights on your exercises on a weekly basis

I'm quite positive that you've seen those recommendations tons of times in fitness websites or somewhere else - but, I still felt compelled to write that since that is really true.

There isn't some secret "fitness pill" out there, trust me - hard work, good diet, and good sleep are the things which you need to have a functional and healthy body.