How To Avoid The Biggest Mistakes Intermediate Gym-goers Make! 

Beginner gains is why I work out for 3 months, quit, then come back. I get to repeat beginner gains year round! 😆

I love the explanation of challenge and mastery - as a beginner you get the impression that good training is about progress in load and performance. So you define good training by lifting more or more reps and that's how you get satisfaction. But as intermediate, you need to learn to appreciate the training for the training itself, improving your skills and not just more weight/reps. And that's a hard switch to make, but it's the way to keep the fun in training and prevent frustration. A lesson I definitely need to learn as early intermediate

I actually think I'm basically an intermediate now after a few years of lazy training and now one very intense year of training, a ton thanks to this channel. Really pushing myself, learning my body, adjusting my program accordingly. Awesome video.

After finally benching 225 for a yolo double, I decided to run smolov jr back to back for bench. Was actually pretty awesome! Got a great mind-tendon connection, really learned what tendonopathy feels like.

Man, I was literally just thinking about this - I was in that Starting Strength culture for YEARS. And it's exactly like you said. It did great for teaching me how to move my body and move weight, and develop a foundation of strength, but I plateaued a long time ago. In the last 1 year since following this channel, and applying the RP framework, I have made huge gains. Allowing myself to expand my rep ranges and exercises, and especially increase the set volume, have made a massive improvement in my training quality. As always, thank you Dr. Mike and the RP team! However, no coffee shops? Sorry, that's where this friendship ends. This parasocial relationship feels so one sided - it's like you don't even know me!

Implementing leg presses was a game changer... squats always felt terrible and I just kept forcing them because I'm an idiot.

Intermediate is enough for me. Just maintenance with no suffering.

My biggest mistakes were not enough protein and going to bed late every night.

This is such a breath of fresh air. My friend sent me a link to your channel and I couldn't be happier. The strength world needs more of this type of "rubber meets the road" content. This validates a lot of my thoughts and ideas... Great stuff.

Great video. Would like to see more intermediate themed vids with tips to managing the common un-intended muscles/structures becoming the limiting factor. Like; anterior knee pain alterations with squats, lower back pump instead of hamstrings/glutes, grip strength with pulls (straps), and personally I struggle with long head of triceps with lat pull downs. Any alteration tips on stuff like this would be really helpful for those who're getting to those heavier loads!

I like how I’m hitting those peaks little by little but your right switching up techniques is the key of true muscle build and recovery

Oh boy.. another RP video.. it really is the holiday season, huh? ❤ Edit: holy shit that “challenge week - mastery week” is a fantastic idea for me moving forward..

ive been working out consistently now for about 5 years and just recently started to learn about the mind muscle connection. I knew about it, you can’t go 5 days in a gym without someone saying the actual words but actually understanding is a different beast. The thing that helped me was playing with the speed and cadence of my reps not necessarily slowing it down but also making one part of the rep slow and the other part explosive helped me really feel it which then carried over to all my sets/reps any way I do them.

Thanks a lot for this video. It's weird but I always knew something was wrong in my training but never could point to what. Turns out I've been doing two years of minde muscle connection bullshit while having farily slow progression even though I'm sore after my workouts. Somehow convinced myself that honing in on the technique with the same weights would count as progressive overload. Heading to the gym now to look for real overload and go get back my gainz ! Thank you so much for all the knowledge you share. I have learned so much thanks to you guys !

This couldn't come at a more perfect time for me, thank you Dr. Mike

Thank you Coach Mike, for constantly filling my mind with good ideas!

Another great video!RP is for my opinion,the most informative and serious fitness channel in youtube!

Great video. I was stuck for a while and then I forced myself to start watching your videos and other videos of the pros and I realized I can train harder than what I thought was possible and I learned to concentrate way more on technique, slow eccentrics with powerful concentric and progress started showing itself once again. Love your videos, always in the back of my head when I train now.

Ahh, mind muscle connection. That must be why I really love machine preacher curls and bayesian cable curls. Something about those two that they give me a wicked stretch, very good pump (sometimes painful for a bit) and I still get a bit of DOMS despite training them regularly for the last year. I'm starting to get much less DOMS from preachers, but dropsets or clusters have DOMS back on the menu 💪

When I hit a plateau as an intermediate lifter, the single best thing I did to leave it was a) create a plan b) keep a workout journal c) formulate a goal. Keeping the workout journal kept me motivated, but also allowed me to figure out what programs worked better for me in terms of strength and size gains.

😮The whole thing about increasing time devoted to mastery occurred to me intuitively. It’s not just about adding 5lbs to the bar. It’s about working with each weight until it feels smooth, explosive, and *effortless*

😂😂😂 this is the funniest video I’ve watched in years 😭 he pretty much called me out on every category while cracking jokes. “Thanks Frank Zane!” 🤣

Thank you so much for this and all that you do 🙏

Great vid as always Dr. Mike💪

Fantastic video. It came extremely handy. Specially point 5 I was wondering about that last week and I started a journal, simple notes where I keep what was my volume on that excercise last time I did it and log the changes which hopefully will be always evolving. Thanks for the knowledge man

Great video Mike! Very informative 👏

Been training for 27 years now. Owned one of the largest MMA gyms in my county and made some real good gains in both fitness and my martial arts.... i've fluxed with my weight up and down staying health while doing so. I know how my body works and how to bulk or cut effectively. I'd consider that I know a lot, and don't feel I pick up new stuff often. But this channel just goes to show we always learn new stuff. Dude your content is so good and honest.... I feel its a no bull channel, its not trying to sell me a subscription or some magic pill crazy exercise method or that normal social media bull. I actually still learn stuff when I visit weekly.... Thank you my man.

This was fantastic! Will you be doing a similar video for Advanced trainees?

I got stuck in a beginner phase for too long by sticking with the 3 sets of 10. I started researching and watching yours and Jeff Nippard's videos. I saw a huge difference. I wish I had done this earlier. Thanks for your videos!

thanks for making these videos it really help

Always great videos, no nonsense information that almost anyone can use.

The set ranges advice was great. I revently switched to doing less sets and i am getting stronger. Its so jarring to think about but it works.

Absolutely excellent video. Thank you! 🙏

Twenty four years later, I’m still a beginner but I’m making gains like a pro… little to none 😂

I'm still a beginner. All thanks to dr. mike I broke out of the optimal workout split and pump chasing and started training to failure. Learnt how to program properly and use MRV, MAV and all that good stuff. The gains have been crazy. All the credit goes to this channel along with Natural hypertrophy, Alphadestiny, Geoffrey Schofield, Mind pump tv

Once again, thank you Dr. Mike! God bless

absolutely love this. Please more !!

Thank you for this. I'm intermediate and I still train for newbie gainz and wonder why it's not working. Thank you very much. My approach will be different from here. You are a rock star coach!

Great talk. Very useful. Insightfelul.

Suchhhh good information in this video Mike

“Thanks Frank Zane” I actually LOL-ed

Thanks for putting this out there for free.

Ugh, Gold♡ Ty Dr Mike

As someone who started with purely bodybuilding focused training, using mind muscle connection as an indication that a set is productive definitely slowed me down. Heavy loads only cause technical breakdown if controlling a movement under heavy load is an unpracticed skill for you. Things like trying to take the traps out of delt flys ended up making lose out on a lot of the intensity thats so crucial for adaptation.

Thankfully I didn't make any of these mistakes since I had watched RP/Dr Mike extensively before I got to the Intermediate+ area

I've been an off and on gym goer since high school. Now I'm 33 at just over 4 months of 5 days/week and seeing good results. Been watching all your videos. Great stuff! Hoping I can stick to it this time and see what I'm capable of before I get too old 😬

Been following RP and taking your advice for a bit now. Thank you for not keeping me stuck as a beginner!

As usual: amazing info and fun to watch

Might be the best one so far, Super Helpful !

Been at the gym for 1 year, 11 days. And I'm starting to learn the mistakes that are outlined in this video; invaluable advice! And making people laugh while learning, increases retention 5-fold. Thanks Dr Mike! 🙏 🎉

7:05 that joke deserves a fuming award, and you deserve on also for being the funniest guy in the fitness industry

This is exactly the video I needed

Thank you for the video!

Damn, I really needed this.

Another thing about being an intermediate lifter is recognising that, due to the fact that you're now so much stronger and capable of neuromuscularly efficient outputs, certain exercises that you may have loved as a beginner are no longer good for you. For me it's weighted dips. As a beginner I loved these as a prime builder for the pressing muscles. At this stage, doing meaningful volume with this exercise creates so much fatigue and wear that it's not worth it, at least not as a primary movement. I may still do them as a secondary compound on a day where I'm pressing or I may occasionally build up to a single heavy set of 5 just for enjoyment and to keep strength but it's no longer something I can open up the day with 4/5 sets of 6-8 reps.

I just hit 160kg for 4 reps squat after following all your advice since a year ago, I can't believe you help people for free (we all know it gets you closer to your Italian sex machine) it's great

Love your content. Do you have a video that you recommend as a starting place to learn your overall theories/opinions on training? I always feel like I'm jumping into the middle. Thank you.

Great information!

This is pretty educational. More power to you coach! 😁

Good subject, great video

Best channel in this subject matter if you want to do the best you can.

Really good video!

Big fan of this video style!

Mike I gotta say your my favorite man of the small hat. Incredibly helpful video.

Dr. Mike helping our gains !

I appreciate your explanation of Mind-Muscle Connection! Pretty sure I was getting that wrong for quite a while!

Man I've been squatting 315 for a few crazy hard reps for a while. There's so many things I still learn. I still have to learn to breath properly. Consistent foot placement, focus.

Over 20 yrs ago throwing weight around was what I did. I've learned controlling the resistance is most important. Also focusing on a full stretch

about to enter intermediate after 2yrs training hard. made good gains, and I was lazy in the food and supplements area, taking about a month off to fix my ac joint and about to go hard again but thanks to this video with a much clearer view on how am going about it.

I guess I was definitely an intermediate years ago in my mid twenties when I was at the peak of my lifting career, deadlifting 180kgs, squatting and benching 110kgs. Doing lots of compounds. No perfect technique. Looking swole. Then, there came injuries and accidentally renewed party life. Now, in my mid thirties there is 100% focus and perfect technique, but the injuries keep coming. Mentally very challenging to be there and do light machines all the time...I wanna be big again!

Thanks frank zane 🤣🤣🤣🤣☠️☠️ had me rollin. Ur the best Mike....well you and Alex Leonidas

This video is gold, no bullshit. Damn good Israetel

I was rewatching the beginner mistakes video and I was hoping for something for people a bit more experienced!

I’m becoming an intermediate and what is working for me rep range wise is 12 10 8 on smaller exercises such as lat pull downs and tricep push downs, and 8 5 3 for bigger exercises such as the barbell bench press and barbell back squat.

You called me out directly with the lat thing 😂😂Last year was my 3rd year of training seriously (I trained 3 years prior to that but was just a casual lifter) and on a single arm cable lat pulldown I got to the point where I could "feel" my lats like crazy, but now I realize it wasn't doing much for muscle growth (because as you could guess, I didn't get stronger on that specific exercise lol). You know your shit Dr. Thanks for remembering the intermediates! A lot of body builders on RU-vid just talk about super advanced stuff.

Just bought a Jeff Nippard program, definitely going to tailor follow 6! (but Jeff knows his stuff, be interesting to see the customisations he's added 🤓)

When I started, I had to rely on advice from the guy who sat in the corner of the change rooms at the gym. Beginner knowledge was free, then there came a price and you can't wash that shame off. Dr Mike, amazing advice that you can use and still look your mother in the eye come Christmas time. Well, maybe not entirely but at least for a second.

THANK YOU!!! I love your knowledge and your channel. Fantastic content and insights.

#6 is a big one. Especially considering that a lot of programs (especially specialization & peaking routines) were created by/for enhanced lifters.

PERFECTION. Thank you for rational logic at a poetic pace

Watching this channel for a year and a half has got me hitting prs almost every session.

❤thank you Mike you are the best

Love this guy.

this guy is funny and informative, he is full of knowledge with sense of humor

It's official! I will call my progression blueprint the Mega-city One project! I love your videos, dr. Mike!

Question: Will having a better mind muscle connection cause you to be sore more than usual? Im 34 and have been working out off and on since I was 18 (I was consistent the first 7 years then took a 4 year break where I would work out every now and then but have started working out consistently again the last 5 years). I’ve followed every plan there is (5x5, 7x7, 8x8, German volume, Arnold’s workout, Dorian Yates workout, strongman, powerlifting, etc) so I’ve had high volume/low volume and everything Inbetween. But over the last year or two I personally feel like I’ve gotten better mind muscle connection then ever before but my workouts, that wouldn’t even phase me in my younger days, have left me so sore it’s crazy sometimes for days. I use to consider getting sore a sign of a very good workout back when I would only get sore every now and then but now it feels like I’m either doing something extremely well or extremely bad or maybe I’m just getting old lol.

Love the video! Made me realize, doing excercises is the easiest part. The planning, analysing and knowing what the hell are You doing is the hard and super scary part. So many variables to consider. Hope it all gets easier with time.

2 months in Starting Strength and I plateaued around 270lbs squatting starting around 160. Ate as much as possible (put on 35 pounds in the time. Lots of milk, oatmeal, beef, honey, and rice), and I started taking breaks in the program because my knee hurt and my lower back was feeling worn out. Then I stopped because I could no longer handle working and working out since I was always so burnt out. Then I turned to drugs and relapsed because I feel so worn out in life, and I get sucked into the ease. This has happened to me twice now. But watching several of your videos and understanding the neurological stress build up and it makes sense. I've always done low reps high weight, and the fatigue catches up to me, as I'm forcing my nervous system to move more and more weight with the same amount of muscle, and I expected to feel as rejuvenated as when I was using lower weight. I am going to start phasing in a more hypertrophic program, and work on building muscle mass for a few months (which was one of my main goals besides understanding my body and feeling comfortable/strong) and then switch back to training my nervous system. I am going to use front squats at a higher rep range to build my abs, spinae erectors, and quads, which were my two weaker points squatting.

I've been doing most of this already by way of logic I guess, thanks for this!

my greatest intermediate mistake was not taking a deload, not listening to my body, and Overtraining for 3 years straight... I didn't even stop knowing my lifts are going down. It was so bad that I'm only lifting 50% of my max... for 3 years...

Dr. Mike your my hero.

Loved the video as usual. This one I’ve found to be very informative and useful. One question though, what’s wrong with hippies 😭😂

Omg that was totally me 5 years ago, no one talks about that, thank you for this video.

I think as a female intermediate listening to my body has been the most beneficial mentally and physically. I put way more emphasis on warm up sets to warm up my technique and make sure my muscles are firing the right ways and appropriately (making sure I'm not doing any compensations). Then I add my working set. Then feel it out. If I feel like I could handle and squeeze out a couple reps past my working set. I'll do that or I may drop set if I am feeling good. But thank god for a trainer who showed me how to do hard things and fire the muscles correctly breathing through discomfort. He got me my first couple pull-ups unassisted by form corrections and mind/muscle connection. Forever grateful for a good sports trainer and taking the time to also get a physical therapist evaluation to see how my body moves and where I was compensating and correct them with ROM and Mind/Muscle drills. Also keep in mind lifting for me is like a dance because I do aerial pole gymnastics as a sport so I have to really watch my back/spine/core stability. So when I feel really good I'll hit my back exercises but then know that's all I'm going to get for awhile because I have practice the rest of the week and may need more rest than the average person before I can train my back again. It's a dance. Yay intermediate training. Been at this for 4 years and I keep learning how to move better every day.

Thanks Doc...

Thank you so much for the incredible information!!! :)

10:55 cant wait for that to be clipped "thanks Frank Zane" 🤣🤣

I had to pause the video because I couldn't stop laughing at the "Thanks Frank Zane" bit 😂 Dr Mike you're hilarious

Yay! Free knowledge!

lmao love the comedy and watching these vids cuz half this shit i remember doing while i was in the weeds 🤣