Craig Mills at Evofit

A workout doesn’t have to leave you destroyed to be effective.

Sweat, soreness and exhaustion can happen after hard training.

But they aren’t the only measures of whether a programme is working.

I’d rather look at performance, technique, appropriate intensity, progression and recovery.

Productive training > punishment.

Agree or disagree? I’d genuinely be interested to hear how you judge whether you’ve had a good session.

“You HAVE to squat.”

Do you?

Squats are brilliant. So are deadlifts, presses and countless other exercises.

But exercises are tools, not compulsory movements everyone has to perform.

Exercise selection should consider the person’s goal, ability, anatomy, training history and any relevant limitations.

And no… “I just can’t be bothered” isn’t automatically a limitation. 😂

What exercise would you happily remove from your programme forever?

This could get interesting. 👇

3 sets of 10.

Probably the most famous prescription in the gym. 😂

There’s nothing wrong with it.

But there’s nothing magical about it either.

Your rep range should reflect your goal, load, exercise, training experience and how hard you’re actually working.

If you reach rep 10 comfortably every week simply because the programme says “10”, there’s probably more to consider.

Save this for your next session — or send it to your training partner who’s been doing the same 3×10 forever.

One of the most important questions I ask during a consultation:

“What time can you realistically commit to your workouts?”

It sounds simple, but the answer can completely change how I approach someone’s programme.

There’s no point designing the “perfect” training plan if it requires you to train at times you simply can’t commit to.

Work. Kids. Shifts. Family commitments. Life.

They all have to be considered.

Don’t plan your training around when you’d like to exercise.

Plan it around when you can realistically and consistently exercise.

I’ve solved a lot of blockers with clients just by having this conversation.

What time of day works best for you — morning, daytime or evening?

Let me know in the comments.

And if you know someone who’s constantly struggling to fit training around their life, send them this.

One number should never decide whether you’ve had a successful week.

The scales are useful.

But they’re only one tool.

Strength.

Body measurements.

How your clothes fit.

Energy levels.

Training performance.

They all matter too.

If this reminded you of someone who’s getting frustrated because the scales haven’t moved…

Send them this. They might need to hear it today.

One of the biggest mistakes I see in the gym?

Changing your workout every week.

A new programme isn’t automatically a better programme.

Before you’ve had time to get stronger, improve your technique or progress your lifts, you’re already moving on to something else.

Consistency beats constantly chasing the next “perfect” workout.

Stick with a well-designed programme.

Track your progress.

Then make changes when there’s actually a reason to.

The best programme isn’t the most complicated one.

It’s the one you consistently follow.

Hope this helps.

One of the simplest things you can do to improve your results?

Track your workouts.

If you don’t know what you lifted last week…

How do you know if you’ve improved this week?

Progress doesn’t always mean adding more weight.

It might be:

✔️ One extra repetition

✔️ Better technique

✔️ Better range of movement

✔️ Better control

Give your body a reason to adapt.

Follow me for clear, evidence-led coaching.

Muscle soreness isn’t a score for how effective your workout was.

Yes, soreness can happen — particularly after unfamiliar training or changes to your programme.

But the goal isn’t to make sitting on the toilet difficult for three days. 😂

The goal is progress.

Strength.
Muscle.
Fitness.
Performance.

Don’t chase soreness just to prove you’ve trained hard.

I’m 47 now, and what I want from training has changed.

I still want strength and muscle.

But I also want cardiovascular fitness, movement, energy and a body that allows me to keep doing the things I enjoy for as long as possible.

The goal isn’t just to be fit today.

I’m training for the decades ahead.

And no… I’m not ready for the chair aerobics just yet. 😂

Cardio or weights for fat loss?

I think we’re asking the wrong question.

Cardio can increase energy expenditure and improve cardiovascular fitness.

Resistance training can help maintain or build muscle and improve strength.

Nutrition plays a major role in creating the energy deficit required for fat loss.

For many people, the answer isn’t choosing one winner.

It’s finding the right combination for the individual.