If building muscle was about doing more exercises, more classes, or sweating more…
Most people would already have the body they want.
But muscle doesn’t grow from chaos.
It grows from specific, predictable signals applied consistently over time.
Here’s what actually builds muscle.
People try to out-train poor lifestyle habits.
They train harder to make up for bad sleep.
They punish themselves for overworking, overeating, drinking, or feeling stressed.
They turn training into a form of self-criticism instead of self-respect.
That might work for a few weeks.
It never works long term.
I see a similar pattern when people try to train every day to offset poor lifestyle choices. Over-indulged on the weekend, slept poorly, drank too much, then try to bury themselves in training to make up for it. That doesn’t work either. Trying to out-train poor habits is like trying to empty a bathtub with a teaspoon while the tap is still on.
When it comes to nutrition, no macronutrient is as important (or as misunderstood) as protein. It’s the one thing you can’t afford to ignore if your goal is strength, performance, or simply living with more energy.
It’s one of the most common questions in fitness: Should I do more cardio or more weights?
If your goal is simply to “get fit for summer,” you could probably do either. But if your goal is longevity (to live longer, healthier, and with fewer limitations) the truth is clear: you need both strength training and cardiovascular training.
At SLM, this is exactly why our programs are built around a simple framework: LIFT + SWEAT. Strength and conditioning, side by side, so no stone is left unturned.
At some point, we were all told the same thing: if you want to build muscle, you need to squat, deadlift, and lift heavy weights. But here’s the truth: muscle doesn’t care what you lift—it only cares how close to failure you train.
