“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you will never get it done. Make at least one definite move daily towards your goal.”
— Bruce Lee
1. Manage Your Expectations
There are many topics to cover, but let’s start with the most important: keep the goal the goal.
We all begin with the idea of getting stronger and looking better (let’s be honest, the second one often motivates us more). At the start of the journey, progress feels amazing. Each week, you add a few pounds to the bar, you see your muscles growing, you look sharper and more toned.
But eventually, you “hit the wall”… or do you?
If you kept adding weight every week forever, you’d end up bench pressing or deadlifting your entire house. Instead, learn to understand your body’s cycles—when you’re peaking and when it’s time to step back, just like a builder stepping back to admire the structure before adding more.
As Pavel Tsatsouline says, “grease the groove.” Strength is a skill, not just genetics. You don’t have to be born strong—you can practice it strategically.
2. Keep It Simple
The same advice my grandma gave me about food applies to training: keep it simple.
If your mayonnaise or cheese has 350 ingredients you can’t pronounce, you probably shouldn’t eat it. Similarly, when it comes to training, don’t overcomplicate things.
High-tech, flashy exercises might look great on Instagram or at the Christmas party to impress your crush—but ask yourself: is it really worth it?
In my experience, not really. Doing the wrong fancy exercise at the wrong time can kill your momentum—or worse, land you in physical therapy. I’m not saying never do them, but minimize them and focus on the basics.
Better yet, pick a sport. No excuses—the options are endless: pickleball, ballet, and everything in between. Just move and have fun after you’ve done your foundational training.
And please, don’t rely solely on the perfect mood or playlist to train. The gym is not a party you attend only when you “feel like it.” Treat it like medicine—it keeps you healthier, longer. Otherwise, you’ll blink, and 10–15 years will pass while you “wait for the right vibe,” especially if you have kids.
3. Dare to Dream – Don’t Set Your Goals Too Low
There are many disagreements in the fitness world, but on this one, we all agree: you were born to be great.
Maybe you missed your chance at an Olympic medal. Maybe school or life got in the way. Maybe your sport was “skipping class,” and no one gave you a trophy for it. I don’t care what your story is—you still have no reason to shy away from your greatness.
4. Remember: Everyone’s Path Is Different
Connect this with point 3—this is the core of my philosophy.
We are not all the same, and that’s a good thing. Goals will vary. Maybe you’re in your 20s training for the army. Maybe you’re in your 60s training for an Ironman (shoutout to the 65-year-old who passed me during one!). Maybe you’re in your 80s trying to beat your 10–15 pull-up personal best (Cliff, this one’s for you).
Wherever you are, start from where you are, not where you wish you were. Otherwise, you risk injury and burnout. Identify your goal and keep walking toward it until you get there.
5. Stop Chasing “Feel Good” Fitness Advice
“Just have fun and be happy” is overrated. I’m not saying you should be miserable or bark at strangers (like I sometimes do biking to work), but don’t make fun your main metric.
Focus on your goal. Respect your body and circumstances. Push, but push wisely.
And don’t do it alone. Be part of a community. Seek support. As Mother Teresa said:
“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”
These five points aren’t from a book. You might not understand everything right away, and that’s okay. Keep it simple and just do it
Kamarashev.Training 