Simplicity Wins (The Research Agrees)

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When Research Confirms What You’ve Learned the Hard Way

I was reading a large review of resistance training research this week—pulling together over 100+ studies. and it landed harder than I expected.

Not because it said something new…

But because it confirmed something I’ve learned the hard way—both in my own training and coaching others:

👉 Most programmes work

👉 Very few are meaningfully better than others

👉 The real driver of results is consistency and effort

Which raises an uncomfortable question:

If that’s true… why aren’t more people getting results?

Simplicity Over Complexity

We don’t lack information.

We lack execution.

You don’t need:

• Perfect equipment

• Fancy programming

• A new programme every 6 weeks

  
  

The research makes this even clearer. Machines or free weights. Full body or splits. Circuits or straight sets. It all works—if you do.

You need:

• A handful of movements

• Sone consistently

• With enough effort to make them count
  

Squat, Hinge, Push, Pull and Carry.

Repeat that for years—not weeks—and you build something that lasts.

Most people are changing the plan instead of improving the performance.

That’s the trap.

Raise the Floor Before the Ceiling

Everyone wants to optimise.

Very few want to standardise.

The biggest gains don’t come from doing something extraordinary once.

They come from doing the basics well—over and over again.

Ask yourself:

• Do you train at least 2x per week?

• Do you push your sets with intent?

• Do you progress things over time?

If not, there is no ceiling to chase yet.

Your opportunity is below you—not above you.

Raise your minimum standard:

• don’t miss sessions

• don’t coast through sets

• don’t reset every few weeks

That’s where progress lives.

I used to overcomplicate everything.

Chasing the perfect programme.

Tweaking the details.

Adding more and more.

On paper, it looked great. That’s the trap.

It feels productive—but it isn’t.

The shift came when I stopped asking “What’s the best programme?”

And started asking: “Am I actually doing this well enough for it to work?”

Because the truth is:

👉 It’s not the programme. It’s the standard you apply to it.

The road to being strong, fit and capable is more simple than we think. It just requires a higher standard than most people apply.

Take away this week:

Before you look for a better plan…Ask if you’re fully executing the one you already have.

That answer usually tells you everything.

Based on a large 2024 review of resistance training research (137 systematic reviews).

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P.S. If you enjoyed this week's Thursday Three, please share it with a friend.

Thanks,

Jamie