Why You're Not Getting Stronger

It's not your program — it's your mindset, your sleep, your food, and your ego.

Everybody wants to get strong. Everybody wants to bench more, deadlift more, look better under a bar. But not everybody is willing to take an honest look at why they're not progressing. The truth is, most of the time it's not your workout plan that's broken — it's you. Your mindset. Your habits. Your recovery. Your nutrition. Your expectations.

I hear guys all the time saying, "I've been stuck at the same weight for months. I'm plateaued." No, you're not plateaued. You're inconsistent. You're not eating enough. You're not sleeping enough. You're training like a guy who *thinks* he trains hard, but really doesn't know how to push. That's the uncomfortable truth — and it's also the key to breaking through.

Here's what I've learned from decades of experience under the bar:

• Strength isn't just built in the gym. It's built in the 22 hours outside of it — in your sleep, in your meals, in your stress management, and in your mindset.
• Your program doesn't need to be fancy. It needs to be consistent. Progression is about adding weight, volume, or effort over time — not switching exercises every week like it's a TikTok challenge.
• Your ego is stalling your growth. You're too worried about what looks cool instead of what actually builds strength. If you're still maxing out every chest day but skipping your mobility work, that's on you.

I've been there. I've had weeks where the bar felt glued to the floor. I've also had stretches where I hit PRs like clockwork. You know what made the difference? It wasn't some magical program — it was the basics, done better.

Here's how I coach guys through strength stalls:

• Track your lifts weekly. If you don't know what you lifted last week, you don't have a plan — you're guessing. Strength is data-driven. Measure it.
• Fuel the machine. You want to lift like a beast but eat like a bird? Forget it. If you're in a caloric deficit, you're not maximizing strength. Period. Eat with purpose.
• Respect rest days. Your muscles don't grow while you're lifting — they grow while you recover. If you're sleeping 4–5 hours a night and wondering why you're weak, you already have the answer.
• Stop chasing failure every set. That's not how strength works. Leave 1–2 reps in the tank on most compound lifts. Save failure for accessories, not your squats.
• Stick to a block for at least 8 weeks. I say it all the time: give the program time to work. You're not going to transform in 3 workouts. Show up. Repeat. Progress.

I can't tell you how many times I've had guys message me saying, "Man, I'm doing everything right," and then they show me their log. Missed workouts. Inconsistent weights. Random food intake. No deloads. No structure. And they wonder why the needle's not moving.

Strength isn't just physical. It's behavioral. It's mental. It's strategic. The guys who get strong year after year are the ones who take a professional approach to their training. They treat recovery like it matters. They eat to support the mission. They log their progress. They train through boredom. They show up when motivation is gone.

The uncomfortable truth:

You're not stuck. You're just soft with your standards. You've convinced yourself that you're doing everything — but if you filmed your training, logged your meals, and reviewed your week like a coach would, you'd see the truth.

That's what I had to do. Years ago, I realized I was leaving results on the table because I wanted the reward without respecting the process. When I changed how I approached training, everything else followed.

You want to get stronger? Tighten up your habits. Respect the fundamentals. Train smart, eat big, recover harder, and ditch the excuses.

Your strength is waiting. But you have to show up and earn it.