10 COMMANDMENTS you should OBEY on your Fitness Journey 

Commandment #1 Thou Shall *NOT MOVE THE BARBELL*

When I was working a regular job, I wore my gym shorts and a tank top under my work clothes. I knew if I went home after work and then changed, I wasn't going to go to the gym. But if I drove right to the gym after work, stripped off my work clothes in the parking lot, and put on sneakers, I was going to workout. I did that for 15 years and got strong because I was consistent. Now that I'm retired I have established a gym routine that works for me. I also got my wife to be a regular gym rat. Being strong is a life-changing event as you age. I see other old guys who are weak and have bad posture while I'm deadlifting, bench pressing and rowing like a young man. Go to the gym, and get strong. Defy time and remain youthful in appearance and power.

1. DO NOT. MOVE. THE BARBELL.

Never take a break has been the one that resonates the most. We are talking about the gym but really applied to all of life

It's sad people can't cook a simple meal. When I was in school we had to take shop and home ec. Now I took more wood and metal shop classes but knowing my way around a kitchen has been valuable.

Number three for me without a doubt. I trained for years and years...... and years, writing nothing down. I never realised how much I was 'spinning my wheels' until a friend bought me a training log as a gift. It was a revelation. Recording everything was a game changer. I knew where I was. I knew what I had to do. I began improving in strength and currently my numbers are still going slowly but steadily upwards which pleases me greatly as most people my age have stopped getting appreciably stronger. I am 68.

#4 don't take breaks. This one 100%. I am in this right now. I got sick a few weeks. I have been off and on and each time I am off it is really hard to get the momentum going again and I have equipment at home and I really enjoy lifting. I am someone who falls into all or nothing thinking. don't fall for the trap!

Algorithm boost. Alan is the man for anything fitness related, hope you do this forever!

Been watching Alan follow various goals across a decade including training into fatherhood, hope he does it forever and we get to follow as his goals change across the decades

In regards to commandment 10, what the gym has taught me is that doing something sort of well for a long time is nearly identical to doing something perfectly right away. With the added bonus that no-one ever does anything perfectly first time either.

Great stuff. My 11th commandment would be to find fellow travelers on your fitness journey. Friends who lift, gym with good community, sports with friends, sports with your kids, etc. Friends and family with similar goals can really help motivate you, teach you, inspire you and keep you going when things go sideways. Thanks Alan for helping to create an amazing community at his gym and also online!

DO NOT MOVE THE BARBRELL! good stuff Alan I’ve been watching you for years it is a amazing how far I’ve come thanks to you🎉

What happened to “DO NOT MOVE THE BARBELL” 😮

Just took 2 months off, moved house, sanded and polished all the floors in the house and painted most rooms with my partner and built and installed a new kitchen. Kids also just started school and I started a new job. Commandment 3 hit hard Allan 😭

Amazing video! The "Never take a break" is something that I realized mid 2023, after taking a small break of "just a couple of months"... that lasted 5 years, because ''next month I'll come back'', ''next year'', and so on. After going about 3 years strong, I took a 4 to 5 year break, it's amazing and scary how fast time just flies. Thankfully I realized that last year, came back and still going strong, even if one week or the other I can only go 2 days, I still go and make the most out of those 2 sessions, because now I understand that training is for life.

Congrats on 10y anniversary!! Just about to go to the gym so will have to watch it later, and leaving a comment for the algorithm!

Love this - you are an icon. Thanks for all your content. Just totally logical, no ego. My additions: 6.1 - make a meal plan. Plan out 3-4 meals and all their ingredients (make a list) before going to grocery store. Then you're all set for cooking. And you'll save $$ not buying things you don't need 7.1 - if you old, use a belt, knee sleeves, wrist wraps, etc, what helps with your weaknesses/pain. The older you are the harder it gets and easier it is to injure yourself (squats4life!) 8.1 Record yourself to check form. Get a cheap amazon tripod for your phone. Can even get one with a tiny remote to start/stop recording. 10.-1 - Agree with going all-in at the start. Learn everything you can, read online, read books, watch all Alan's videos, etc. Master the skills, which will take years (that whole 10,000 hours thing), but don't let it consume you forever. It's a hobby and has so many great benefits to life, but make sure you keep perspective and don't let it detract from other parts of life! Balance

I really like this, but I also like thinking of training as the "8-fold path" (ala Buddhism) - that is "right diet", "right programming", "right sleep", "right hydration", "right RPE", "right form", "right cardio", "right equipment". Staying on that path brings everything together. Then there's the "4 noble truths" - enthusiasm enables training, training leads to strength and hypertrophy, and something about "spice" and "folding time" ...

Thank you Alan for all your videos over the years. They've really helped me a lot!

Going "all in" resonates with me. I understand that for a beginner who is unsure if they'll stick to it or enjoy it, it might seem to make sense to only train a bit or to only buy the cheapest equipment for your home gym. But then you never get good at it or you never enjoy owning quality equipment. 99% of the used equipment for sale is cheap junk. Not that investing in Rogue or better will guarantee adherence but going all in with your time and money tends to yield better results. And once you get results, it's easier to keep going.

I love "master your technique." I was expecting "use the technique appropriate for your goals," but yours is great

I appreciate your guidance over the years. As someone whose training and goals tend to fall away when work or life gets crazy, #10 resonates with me the most - making sure my lifestyle supports my training and vice versa

Congrats on your anniversaries, Alan...thanks for sharing your knowledge/experience with us. 🙏👏👏

Always good to hear some wise words from you dude

Alan, thank you for all your great advice. Its also somewhat comforting knowing that there are other people who are obsessed and not ashamed of it :)

Your channel is the best. Been following you forever. Self honestly and consistency are key!

Always love your Insight Alan you've been a huge inspiration for me In my fitness journey

Amazing ten years Alan and here is for another 10 and many more! : 3

I have every piece of gym equipment that I would call a necessity (straps, lifting belt, dip belt) or quite important (wraps, sleeves etc) but the one I price the highest along with the straps, are my heel elevated shoes. I love those things so much.

The best in the game. Most relatable, no show off ,no bullshit practical information founded in a deep understanding of the movements and the whole process of working out. Most people have other more important priorities in their life such as family and work - watching allans process while struggling with the same priorieties is so helpfull. Thank you!

Yo dude you were my number 1 resource when I started lifting back in 2019. Love the direction you've taken things man! Train untamed 😎

Can you do a video on not caring about what others say about you, what always puts me off is family members telling me not to go to the gym.

Appreciate you always providing a balanced, nuanced perspective

It’s on my bucket list to train at Untamed Strength and get a form check with you Alan, it’s been a great 10 years watching and learning from your content. I send young blokes your squat and deadlift tutorials because they are so good. Cheers from down under!! 🇦🇺

Thank you Alan for this advice!!! It is much appreciated!

Great vid. I have always found your cooking videos a great help through years!!

I’ve been watching Untamed Strength for about ten years now. And still learn something new every time.

Ty for all the videos! I've learned alot from you over the last five years or so.

Alan, I've been watching you since 2014 as a highschooler trying to learn how to lift correctly in football weightlifting. Your channel has been so impactful for me to where I'm a personal trainer er now and my entire career path has changed and I owe a lot of where I am and going to you. Thank you Alan You're a Saint

Thanks Alan! #4 resonated with me the most.

Another great video, thanks Alan!

Fantastic content as always!

You’re an amazing service the weightlifters, with sound and applicable advice. Amazing video!

Number one is a great point. There is so much variation out there! I love mixing it up with different complementary activities

S tier thumbnail. Congrats on 10 years Alan!

I thought for sure that number 10 would be to always remember to "Train Untamed" since you stated that it's the commandment that resonated the most with you personally

Damn I wish I could “Like” this video 17 times and subscribe to Untamed strength channel 43 times. This whole video is gold for training and even life in general. Pure wisdom-keep it up Alan!

Congratulations on 10 years of uploading! Yep, 'focus on what you're excited about', 'don't take breaks' were very important when I was training well. Very true about momentum. Once lost, very hard to regain. White pill: easy to maintain once gained (I.e. 'go all in').

Great stuff Alan. Awesome that it’s been 10 years of untamed strength

Wow can’t believe it’s been 10 years. I remember when I first started watching your videos, crazy to think it’s been this long. Time flies!

Thanks for the video Allan.

I think I've been with you since 2013 when I was searching "how to squat" on RU-vid. Thanks for great content, always, Alan.

These are all gold.

Great video, and congrats on 10 years! Not taking time off is the commandment that resonates with me most.

Never take a break, learn to cook (better ) and going all in more are all good ones for me. More of a runner here but love lifting and also try to use lifting to help my running. Love the content.

For me it’s definitely taking breaks. I need to be more consistent. Thanks for these great videos!

Love it! Been taining is some way or another for most of my life and for sure the key is keeping it going during a setback like an injury or illness or other life circumstance. I alway say that anything is better than nothing and ramping back up from something is way easier than from nothing.

Great advice as always

Great stuff Alan…#2 and #4 are the ones that I need to focus on

#8 was important to me. I came to this older and very much out of shape. So mastering my tech helped give me discipline and less prone to injury

I'm jealous of people who can say, "Well, things got in the way, so I stopped lifting." To me it means they got something else going on in their life other than picking up weights. I'll be going to the gym in the morning, and thats the highlight of my day.

Amazing, good stuff, but I say #4 can happen for different reasons. I've been in college and grad school and I take 2-3 weeks off or so for finals because I have to adapt to temporal fluctuations in priorities. For those weeks, school is more important and the period that his lasts is finite and delineated. Plan the breaks though, plan when you come back. Edit: I am a filthy casual but *not* a yo-yo / treading-water / no-progress lifter

great video as usual Alan! Cheers from Argentina, been following you since 2014 ♥

Needed this!

Nice, first the Sika Strength Lads and now you. Both are really Good guidelines to improve your training.

Learn how to cook is the best piece of advice here that you will not find anywhere else.

We're here for the long videos. Congrats on 10 years!

Good stuff as usual Allen. Ive been baking cookies for so long I have the recipe memorized.

I promise I am not sucking up but #10 spoke most to me BECAUSE I really want to "go all in" but haven't. I am not a weekend warrior, I am very consistent with my training BUT I don't do other things that I think we really move me forward by going all in. I am doing it!!! I am going to get to that all in state, holidays - vacations - weekends!! Going all in and will be excited to see where I land a year from now :-) Thanks for the inspiration.

Been following this man since the beginning. Algorithm boost plz

Solid advice actually for a lot of things in life. :)

I agree with logging the training. I have used notebooks in the past, but now I put the information in my main planner. That way I can see everything for the upcoming week: work outs, work meetings, volunteer meetings, etc... A notebook is great, an excel spreadsheet is wonderful, but I just want to be able to see everything together.

Excellent. #2 is something I wish I'd understood early on. I love to optimize and learn. With so much fitness/lifting/nutrition information out there, I found myself watching more videos, getting new 'programs' from the algorithm,. and always second guessing and changing. I didn't really understand the relative importance of consistency and a how a mediocre plan vigorously and consistently implemented is better than changing horses all the time to find the perfect plan. This ties to #1 cause I let good ideas from different disciplines undermine my confidence in the current plan, not realizing that the differences were more about optimizing for specific goals I didn't really share anyway.

Alan you are the best man

Bless me Alan, for I have sinned. I violated the fourth commandment, and now I'm having a hard time breaking my break.

Yes dad 😋 Jokes aside, hands down good, pragmatic advice from a dad, a lifter and a coach. IMHO (working, lifting, studying, dad of two) the most accurate advice. I have been following your journey from the start and your dedication and your mentality motivates me. Keep it up 💪. PS: For the 10th commandment, I find going all in i.e. forming overall good habits, to be also easier: everything fits together like a jigsaw. Having spend multiple years in academic research (debilitating mentally, thus physically), having things click, with no conscious effort is paramount. PS2: Sick thumbnail 🤘🤘🤘

I think number 9, never lie to yourself is my motto. For me, it's the root of being healthy and consistent in the gym. I am honest with myself about what I am eating, the work I am putting into the gym and what my goals are. I am also honest with myself because I know what my weaknesses are and I am always trying to improve my technique and strategy for my goals.

Just droppin a comment to support the goat!

A 42 min video on the philosophy of training from The Most Untamed? *sips coffee* Don’t mind if I do!

I agree with all that and would only add that the 'umbrella' commandment is commitment: be committed to diet, form, routine, be all in, achieving your goal(s) etc.

Number 8 hits for me. I need to be self-aware in my consistency as I push my lifts.

# 8 and 10 for me! Thanks!

Congrats on 10 years!

thank you Alan

i think tip 3, logging your training, is the one that resonates the most woth me. I'm getting close to 13th year of lifting and ive never logged any of my training except for running which is automatic thanks to my watch, and also when i was training to do muscle ups i logged each attempt. I've always felt like its not completely necessary because i can just remember how much i can do in most lifts and what ive done last week. And while thats mostly true over any short time period, i realize how wrong it is over several years, and how useful that data could be. Also how logging training can help me see how many training sessions are good, and how many arent.

great stuff

Number 2 is totally me. At the end of the day, you have to enjoy what you're doing.

Alan is a legend

And number 10) Always remember: TRAIN UNTAMED!

Commandment number 11. Watch the videos from this RU-vid channel.

Number 4, don't take breaks! So important!

thank you broses for bringing these commandments to us

Your most important video ever!! For me 20 years too late but as soon as one of my boys gets interested in any kind of physical activity, I'm going to show him this video as his first source of inspiration, education, motivation. Pure gold! Thank you very much!

I agree with the commandments. I would just say though that for commandment 10 goinging all in... I needed to start somewhere. I started my lifelong habit by going all in every Saturday. And i built my routine from there.

#6 learning to cook.. absolutely #7 my Pioneer belt just arrived today! Already have decent squat shoes

As someone whos leaving powerlifitng and tryung to do more bodybuilding and cardio, thank you!!

For the algorithm. Good stuff!

Great video

wow this is the bible!!!! thank you Alan!!!

#10 for sure! Once you realize how it all affects you, then you keep on the straight and narrow. If you’re gonna do it go all in!