More Gym Equipment, More Problems

More equipment does not directly correlate to more (or better) results.

Results come by way of effort, consistency, and how you apply the equipment (or lack of equipment) that you have. Therefore, your results are totally independent to what equipment you train with.

Some times, I'll intentionally limit my equipment for a training session and I find I'm mentally more engaged, focused, and get an even better training stimulus than I get when I typically have a larger range of training equipment options. If nothing else, I find the simplicity of low equipment training to be very fun and satisfying.

Even before I began conducting the majority of my training from home (which has been my main place to train since 2018), my results in the gym sky rocketed when I dialed back the number of exercises I did and the equipment I used. I stopped doing redundant exercises. I stopped doing all the isolation exercises that you find in cookie-cutter online bodybuilding programs. I stopped using most machines. In 2014 I dedicated myself to focusing on the main movement patterns, some simple isolation exercises for smaller muscle groups, and shifted 90% of my training to be free weights. I had previously been frustrated with my slow progress during the first 5 years of training consistently (since 2009), but suddenly, narrowing my focus catapulted my gains! Finally. I began to look like I actually lifted a bit. 

Since then, and since some injuries I accumulated in my 20s as a result of doing things everyone said you had to do, I've continued to simplify my training – largely, decreasing the time I spend training each session, but also switching from primarily using barbells to primarily training with kettlebells, dumbbells, and bodyweight exercises – and my progress has continued. 

Here's a short video of an example of me doing a push session with nothing more than the fresh air, 1 kettlebell, and a pair of pushup handles (okay, and a chair): https://youtube.com/shorts/4ZZA3NMrUhY?is=gDrqxwuSZDCuSYIj

I've said it many times over the past 6+ years (the amount of time I've been writing, in one way or another, online), but it's worth saying again: more training options – beyond a certain point – leads to more distractions. And distractions limit progress.

Focus on the work instead of the equipment.

Focus on being consistent.

Focus on removing friction (maybe commuting to a gym is a source of friction. Maybe overstimulation from all the objects and equipment causes friction. Maybe lack of enjoyment training the way the social media science gurus say to train causes friction).

Focus on improving. Improving the quality of how you perform your specific exercises. Improving your strength by lifting more reps or more weight on your exercises. Improving your adherence to a training program or habit by making it enjoyable and progressive for you. 

If you need variety to stay motivated to train, then incorporate variety. But make sure you focus on the basic training principles. Don't do so much variety that you're never able to track whether you're progressing on various exercises or movement patterns. 

If you're training with intent and focusing on the basic keys to progress (effort and consistency), it doesn't matter if you're training with just a pullup bar and the floor or an entire gym. Your progress – or lack of progress – is always a byproduct of your consistency over time.

So no, the new, flashy, oversized and overcrowded gym in town with all the bells and whistles will not improve your fitness results. You're in control of your results. Not the equipment. Not your environment. Just you, along with your effort and consistency.