The body actively resists change and maintains its current state (homeostasis). To stimulate muscle growth, you must apply a stress greater than what it has previously adapted to, forcing it to reinforce itself. This requires a "bloody good reason" to change.

It's common to have days where a workout feels significantly harder due to fatigue, stress, or other factors. However, this subjective feeling often doesn't correlate with a drop in objective performance; you can still lift the same weight, even if the experience is more challenging.

Instead of pushing for linear gains indefinitely, Yates recommends periodizing training. Go all-out for five to six weeks, then intentionally back off for two weeks with lighter, submaximal workouts. This "sawtooth" pattern allows for full recovery and prevents plateaus.

Fitness device Voltra enables users to set different weights for the lifting (concentric) and lowering (eccentric) phases of an exercise. Since muscles handle eccentric loads differently, this unlocks more efficient training and muscle growth not possible with standard weights.

While light weightlifting builds muscle, lifting heavy (around 80% of one-rep max) is required to produce specific neural effects. This intensity releases myokines—chemicals that cross the blood-brain barrier, reduce inflammation, and stimulate the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus.

The order of workouts matters significantly. Performing strength training before endurance work does not compromise endurance and may even enhance it. However, doing endurance training first fatigues muscles, leading to worse performance and diminished results in the subsequent strength session.

The body restricts movement into ranges where it is weak to protect itself from injury. By actively training for strength at the full extent of your motion (e.g., full-depth squats), you signal to your nervous system that the range is safe, which in turn increases your functional flexibility.

During the difficult (concentric) phase of a lift, the intent should be to move the weight as quickly as possible while maintaining control. Intentionally slowing down repetitions is not advantageous and can hinder your ability to complete a set.

Elevating the heels reduces the ankle mobility required for a deep squat. Holding a weight out front acts as a counterbalance, allowing the user to sit back into the squat, reducing direct pressure on the knees and making the full range of motion more accessible and pain-free.