Let me be clear from the start: exercise—especially lifting weights—should involve a bit of struggle. Nobody becomes a powerhouse in the gym or builds an impressive physique without pushing themselves to the limit consistently. I’m often puzzled when people comment on a video of me or a client with something like, “Be careful—this exercise puts too much stress on the body.” Isn’t stressing the body exactly what exercise is supposed to do—to force it to adapt? That view strikes me as narrow and misguided.
That said, there’s a real difference between working hard and always trying to make things harder. Working hard is good, even great. Always making things harder? Not so much.
Working hard vs. always making it harder
To explain, here’s a real-world example. I started working with a client who’s a trainer herself and has long been a gym devotee. She reaches out because her progress had stalled after years of training on her own. She wanted me to audit her barbell technique (squat, deadlift, bench) and help manage the mental side of programming. Like many coaches, she needed a coach too.
In our early sessions there’s a period of feeling each other out. I work to tailor my coaching to her personality, ability, and needs, while she adjusts to new routines and, perhaps, a playful nod to “Techno Tuesdays” or even “coaching with no pants Thursdays” at times.
One clear pattern in our early work was her urge to beat her last workout. If she deadlifted a weight one week and didn’t surpass it the next, she’d be disappointed. I love this attitude in general—the desire to work hard and push in the weight room. Progressive overload—gradually doing more work over weeks, months, and years—is the key to long-term progress. When someone “gets” this, it makes my job easier. But it can also be a double-edged sword.
In her case I sensed she was stuck in a trap of constantly testing her strength rather than building it. She was trying to make every session harder.
But didn’t I say I want my clients to work hard? Yes. I do. But working hard and always making things harder are two different things.
I often think of the idea of “80% workouts” from strength coach Paul Carter. In short:
– About 10% of the time you’ll feel like you’re leading a charge and crushing your workouts.
– About 10% you’ll feel crushed by the session.
– About 80% you just show up, do your reps, and leave.
That 80% matters. Those are the workouts where nothing dramatic happens, but you’re still putting in the work. They’re not always share-worthy on social media.
You can work hard even with a poor night’s sleep, or if you’re injured, or if you’ve had a bad day at work. The point is that every session doesn’t have to be a grind or a “battle” to count progress. Life gets in the way, and demanding PRs every session is unrealistic.
Using other metrics of effort can help. Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) or Reps in Reserve (RIR) let you gauge effort when you’re not at 100%. For example, if a client slept poorly or is fatigued, instead of a heavy squat double, you might do 2–3 sets of squats with 2–3 reps in reserve—still challenging but less exhausting and safer for the CNS.
Another approach I’ve started using (from strength coach Conor Harris) is:
Week 1: 3×5 at 70% of 1RM plus an AMRAP set.
– If AMRAP > 8, add 5 pounds next session.
– If AMRAP 6–8, repeat next session.
– If AMRAP < 5, drop 5 pounds next session.
This compromise keeps reps crisp while satisfying competitive clients with the AMRAP. It’s a win-win in my view.
Easy training is good training. Build strength instead of always testing it.
Note: Some of my best workouts have come after a poor night’s sleep. It can happen, and I’ve seen it with many clients. But that’s the exception, not the rule.
