The most important driver of getting results with any physical activity

Bodybuilding forums, fitness YouTube videos and conversations in the gym often revolve around a particular exercise or how many times a week you should hit the gym. Some slightly more advanced gym goers talk about the number of repetitions, sets, meals before and after a workout or the big picture of a training program. I can tell you straight away that none of these elements are as important as the one I’ll be addressing in this piece. Hell, they are not even in the same universe of importance. Before you continue reading, I’d like to point out that this factor applies to every single kind of physical activity.

Ready? The most important factor driving results is consistency. Naturally, this statement alone provide no practical value, so I will do my best to explain what constitutes consistency and, more importantly, how to stay consistent regardless of conditions you find yourself in. One ground rule we have to set forth here at the beginning is that we should not confuse consistency and its parts with optimality. An optimal training program implies near perfect conditions as well as the fact that you are sticking to that program consistently.

As the old saying goes – slow and steady wins the race, a person consistently doing the physical activity over a long period of time (sticking to the plan if you will) will always get significantly better results than someone who only lasts a couple of months on the optimal training program. On top of that, the scientific literature does not know with 100% certainty what optimal is. However, science, practice and I suggest that consistency brings results. Do not try to wait for the perfect conditions because often they do not come or even if they come they might not last too long. Let us move on and talk about elements of consistency before I drag this out into oblivion:

The first element is that the program you’re following has to be realistic and I mean this in two different ways. The first is that it has to be adjusted to YOUR physical abilities and goals. The second is related to tailoring the exercise plan to your situation. For instance, if you work a 50 hours per week and have children it will be nearly impossible for you to exercise 6 times a week. Another example could be that you are preparing for an event that’s going to take place in 12 weeks, then obviously you can’t use a program that will take 24 weeks to get you ready. My advice to you is that you first consider you schedule and responsibilities and then use that information in order to find or create a program.

The second element of consistency is simply fun or in other words how enjoyable the program is to you. If pumping iron and loud music in a gym isn’t something that soothes your soul then you probably won’t be able to stick to a gym-based program for too long. If you’re looking for flexibility then yoga is a much better solution than deadlifts and squats. If you find running too boring, then following a 4 times per week running program will be an absolute disaster. The main idea is that you will put more effort and intensity into a program that you find enjoyable compared to an optimal program for getting results. The advice here is more than obvious, find something that suits your preferences and if you are not sure what your preferences are then test many styles of training and discover which ones you like better.

The third element in a way binds the first two together. We’re talking about flexibility. A flexible training plan will be able to accommodate both fun and a realistic approach. In case your situation changes, for example less spare time or an emotionally difficult period, a flexible plan will be key to keep you working. Do not let the length of this paragraph fool you, it might be the most important of all four elements of consistency.

Speaking of four, here’s the fourth and final element – safety. Safety has to do with the proper form and technique of exercise rather than the structure of the program. If you exercise properly you will reduce injury risk. This applies the most to my gym-going friends but it also applies to any type of physical activity. Logically, you will be able to stick to a plan long-term if you are healthy and injury-free. Injuries will cause inability to train which in turn destroys your consistency, and we do not want that. I recommend learning about warming up, high quality footwear, clothing, equipment and obviously the correct exercise technique.