As a strength coach I am often asked, “What is the best program to get stronger? What exercises should I do? How many sets and reps? How much weight should I use?” Everyone wants to know the “one secret exercise” or “shortcut” to getting strong, but are they asking the right question? A “perfect” program executed half-heartedly will yield poor results, while a generic program followed with great effort can yield extraordinary results! More revealing questions may be, “What do strong people do? What do the strongest athletes all have in common?” I have observed that strong people and the strongest athletes possess these 5 characteristics:

1. They aren’t afraid to push themselves

This may seem like common sense, but strong people consistently push themselves. They aren’t afraid to lift heavy or be in an uncomfortable position. They welcome the challenge and embrace the struggle! Each training session is executed with effort and intensity. They work hard and enjoy doing it! Want to get stronger? Don’t overlook the simplicity of progressive overload. Try to add 5 pounds to the bar each week. You won’t be able to do this forever, but there is great value in simply upping the weight or volume each session.

2. They know when to rest

Many people work hard, but few prioritize rest and recovery. Strong people recognize that you only improve if you recover from your training. They make it a point to eat and sleep well. Their experience has taught them that not every day can be a personal best. They know when to call it quits and save it for another day. This helps them to avoid injury and continually make progress.

3. They are consistent

Working hard and prioritizing recovery won’t get you far if you can’t do it consistently. This is probably the hardest thing for athletes to do. Anyone can push hard for a season, but few can do so for the long term. Those who do will get the best results. If they miss a workout, they get right back on track the next day! They make training a priority and don’t make excuses.

Two great examples of consistency in our own Paradigm family are Jessica and Rafael Palomino. How have they been able to overtake the Paradigm Leaderboard? Consistency! Their ability to get in here 4-5 days per week, year round is what has allowed them to make so much progress. Yes, they push themselves and prioritize recovery, but their consistency is what sets them apart. Rain or shine they come in and work hard!

4. They have mental resiliency

The road to strength isn’t straight and narrow. Rather it’s filled with ups, downs, and plenty of bumps. There will be days when you feel like you can lift a car and there will be others when even your warm-up weights feel heavy. When this happens doubt begins to set in. It’s easy to question what you’ve been doing and give up on the whole process. Strong people won’t throw in the towel. They will keep showing up and work harder.

5. They are in it for the long haul

Strong people embrace the long game. They know that getting stronger takes consistent effort over a long period of time. If this weren’t true then everyone would be deadlifting 500 pounds! Strength is a skill and requires consistent practice over weeks, months, and years. Strong athletes don’t back down, because they know they are in it for the long haul. Training is a priority and a part of their life.

So if you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why can’t I seem to get stronger?” I’d encourage you to look deeper and see if you can improve in any of these areas. They are more important than the training program you are on. Yes, there are ways to optimize getting stronger (volume, intensity, and periodization), but if you work to build these traits first, you will be on the path to realizing your strength potential!