10 Laws Of Training

Law 1 - You Must Be Consistent

You can have the best workout, program, or coach, but none of that matters if you are not consistent. Consistency is where the true power of training is revealed. You transform your body and life when you are consistent each week for months and years. There is no other way.

Law 2 - You Must Follow Progressive Overload

Progressive Overload is the foundation principle of all training. To become stronger, build muscle, and improve physical quality, you must increase the intensity of your effort over time. Simply put, you must always try adding reps or weight to your workouts. 

Law 3 - You Must Understand the Basics

Compound movements work multiple muscles. Isolation exercises work one. 

Your upper body can press and pull. Pushing movements will always involve the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Pulling movements will always involve the back and bicep muscles. Your lower body can squat, lunge, and deadlift. Squats and lunges are hips and knees bending together. They will also work the quadriceps and glutes. Deadlifts are hips extending only. They work the glutes and hamstrings. A practical understanding of anatomy is mandatory to train effectively and intentionally. 

Law 4 - You Must Train Muscles and Movements

Building muscle and building strength are two sides of the same coin. You don't need to choose one over the other. Compound movements and isolation movements both build muscle and strength. The key is to use productive exercises that work well for your body and that you can get stronger over time by adding reps and weight. 

Law 5 - You Must Train Your Entire Body

Men should train their legs, and women should train their upper body.  A balanced and functional body does not come from imbalanced training. You want your entire body to be strong for aesthetics and long-term function. 

Law 6 - You Must Follow a Plan

Random and disorganized effort is never a good strategy. Consistent results come from planning. There are many different workout schedules and training programs. The best program is the one you understand and feel confident executing.

Law 7 - You Must Sleep to Recover

Muscle growth happens outside the gym, not in the gym.

Sleep is mandatory for recovery. There is no arguing with this. 

Whether it's muscle gain, fat loss, or overall recovery, you need 7-8 hours of sleep a night. If you are sleep deprived, your body will never function at full capacity, your health will decline, and you will compromise your training results to some level.

Law 8 - You Must Eat to Grow

Training is a destructive process, and the reconstruction happens after the workout. Attempting to ignore a bad diet and out-train sloppy nutrition is always a losing battle. Your body rebuilds itself from the food you consume, not from wishful thinking. To build muscle, you need PROTEIN. Usually, 1 gram per lb of body weight is a good heuristic. If you are overweight or obese, start with 1 gram per lb of estimated lean mass. 

Gaining muscle consistently will require a calorie surplus: 300-500 calories extra daily is a good starting point. Losing body fat will require a calorie deficit: 500 calorie deficit is a good starting point.

Get your nutrition habits disciplined and dialed in, and you will see results. 

Law 9 - You Must Be Patient

The process takes as long as it takes. Genetics are fundamental, but so are lifestyle and good habits.  Becoming healthy, strong, and lean is a way of life, not a 12-week transformation. 

Law 10 - You Must Be Willing to Learn

Training is a process of self-discovery. Knowledge is power in training.   The more you learn about your body, the better your training will become. Biology is based on fundamental principles, but your personal journey is unique. Your body is unique. Learn from as many experienced people as possible. Think for yourself and always be experimenting. Do not fall into the trap of believing one person has perfect knowledge. Many different methods and ways can work. 

Who Is Alexander J.A. Cortes?

My name is Alexander Juan Antonio Cortes. I am a writer, dancer, personal trainer, and storyteller. I have an obsession with the art and science of self-actualization. Everything in the body and mind can be trained to be better, faster, and stronger.