Why You Should Always Do The Exercises You Hate

Do The Exercises You Hate

One of the biggest training mistake you can make is skipping the exercises you hate. As an example, consider the Squat: many guys hate training their legs. They don't want to Squat 3x/week.  So they focus on easier exercises like the Biceps Curls and ab work.

The result? Lack of strength and muscle gains. Free weight, heavy, compound exercises like Squats and Deadlifts are without hesitation more challenging, but that's EXACTLY why they're more effective. The truth is that the exercises you hate the most, are the exercises you should DO the most. The real reason why you hate an exercise is usually that you're weak at it. Best example: Barbell Rows. It's not easy to do them correctly and they can be challenging. Almost as challenging as Squats, more than once have I felt dizzy after a heavy set of Rows. Well guess what, get stronger at Barbell Rows and you can expect strength gains on your Bench Press and Overhead Press.

Sometimes you hate an exercise because your technique sucks. Some guys want to give up on Squats because they can't figure out how to do them right. The solution to lack of technique is NEVER to give up on it. The solution is to do the exercise more. Practice makes perfect, and perfect practice makes permanent. Your technique will reflect the effort you've put into it.

More important to you is the discipline that doing an exercise you hate builds. Napoleon Hill, author of one of the biggest bestsellers of all times "Think & Grow Rich" advised to "follow the line of most resistance". The temptation is huge to give up instead of persisting. But it's also a major roadblock to your success.

Think about it - what are you doing when you skip an exercise because you hate it? You're NOT following the path of most resistance. You're following the EASY path, building BAD habits instead of discipline.

I always say the best training program is the one you stick to. Persistence is the REAL secret and it takes discipline. Well you're not born with discipline, you build it. And you don't do that by giving up on things but by doing what you know you need to do, even if you sometimes don't feel like it.

The good news: once you start doing the exercise that you hate, you'll start liking it. Many  members told me they used to hate Squats but that it's now their favorite exercise. I say your mind actually enjoys getting good at things you don't want to do. And that's how the exercise youhate the most can turn into the ones you like the most.

Try it to believe it.