Strength 101

The Real Reason You're Stalling in the Gym


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In this episode of Strength 101, Nick breaks down one of the biggest reasons people stall out in the gym: bad exercise selection. He explains that while there are many ways to train and still get results, too much “random variation” can kill progress—especially if your goal is strength and muscle mass. This is Part 1 of a two-part series, focused on building a simple framework for choosing exercises that actually work.

Nick introduces the core concept behind growth: mechanical tension—the signal your muscles get when you’re pushing hard enough that reps slow down and approach failure. From there, he lays out a simple checklist for picking the best exercises: they should be easy to learn, easy to load, and safe to push close to failure. He uses examples like Olympic lifts, Bosu ball squats, and overly complex “Instagram exercises” to show how instability and high skill requirements can limit load and reduce muscle-building potential.

The takeaway is clear: if you want real progress, stop chasing fancy variations and start chasing exercises that allow progressive overload with high effort. Whether you’re writing your own program or judging one you found online, this episode gives you a practical filter to build smarter workouts—and sets up Part 2, where Nick will explain how often you should actually change your training.

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Strength 101By Nick Byom