Introduction
Before we start with this important article, let’s get one thing straight. Out of all the things we wrote, regarding self improvement for men, one thing stands out as undoubtedly the most important – the gym. It is the center piece of becoming the best version of yourself, and finding true satisfaction and freedom in your life. By refining and improving your body, you are also deepening your mentality and opening many new paths in your life. If you’re an active reader of this website, but you’re not active in the gym, you need to fix that NOW.
With that being said, let’s move on. Achieving a better physique, a greater strength and improved looks is not a simple thing. It takes dedication and hard work. But there are also a couple of different ways you can get to it. Some are easier, some harder, some get you there faster, some slower. But everyone of those will leave you feeling good, satisfied and confident. And once you start seeing the results on your body, you won’t be able to stop!
So read on as we go through some of the basic approaches to working out in the gym.

Know Your End Goal
First off, you need to know exactly what kind of an end result you want. Are you too skinny? Or too fat? These two body types require a different approach to working out.
For skinny dudes, “bulking” is a must. This means you’ll need to eat a lot more than you really need to, and progressively lift heavier weight. That’s what they call “eating on a caloric surplus”. In enough time, you should grow more muscle and basically get bigger.
For those who are looking to lose that weight and get a more defined, muscled body, “eating on a caloric deficit” is the way to go. This means you need to consume a little less calories than you really should, so your body uses up more of its fat.
For both of these approaches there are different workout styles, different exercises and lifestyles. Let’s go over some of them.

  • Bodybuilding
    Generally the most popular approach to gym workouts, bodybuilding is the stuff everyone has heard about. It is a well rounded workout program that is centered around lifting weights and targeting different muscle groups in order to achieve a perfect physique for you. There are so many different exercises that have been refined through the years, and with a perfectly balanced diet, this workout can be fun and efficient way to get ripped. With a progressive weight increase, you will quickly notice a big difference in your mood and physique.
  • Calisthenics
    A slightly more traditional approach to exercising, calisthenics are the classics of getting a toned and muscular body. They are almost entirely oriented towards “gymnastic” exercises that include only the weight of your body. Pushups, crunches, squats, chin-ups and leg raises are some of the iconic calisthenics exercises. With a bodyweight program, you get slightly less bulk and muscle, but with a good diet you can get a ripped and muscular body with a great definition. It’s also slightly more complex than bodybuilding, slightly harder too, and it takes more time to see the results. But putting yourself to the test can be a lot of fun.
  • Crossfit
    The most popular form of exercise in the past couple of years, crossfit is a hybrid between a few workout styles, and can be considered as a slightly advanced workout regime. It’s basically an explosive, high-intensity training program that incorporates calisthenics, weight lifting, gymnastics and HIIT exercises. The crossfit program can be a challenge, especially if you’re a beginner, and will test your conditioning and strength to the max. But if you keep going (and of course you will!) you will quickly see the results of your hard work. For those who like brutal, explosive, high intensity workouts, crossfit is the way to go. 
  • Powerlifting
    Arguably the most boring of these few styles we mentioned, powerlifting is still an effective way to get strong, bulky and fucking ripped. It is usually centered on three main exercises – barbell squats, deadlifts and bench press. These three exercises are crucial in every workout program, because they are composite – they target a lot of the body’s main muscle groups. The goal of powerlifting is to lift more and more weight each time. This results in an impressive muscle build, and get often get you looking big and bulky, but still muscular and very strong.

Go Hard or Go Home
You have to know that you can’t half-ass it when it comes to working out. That’s why they say “Go hard or Go home”. Or “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
This means that you will really need to give it your best. Find your mission, your goal and a vision, and stick to it no matter what. Even if you’re sore, if your muscles hurt, you still need to go and get that workout done! Without pain there are no results. Start with three times per week and increase progressively. But remember to always allow around two days per week, in between workouts, for your muscles to rest and grow. In the end it’s all about the individual – your abilities, your goals and your looks. But for Christ’s sake – don’t think too lightly of the gym – it’s importance is immense. Go get your membership now.

Conclusion
As with every more or less serious thing (and gym is serious), you should always consult with your elders, your doctor or someone experienced. Always think of your safety and welfare first. But when you think about it, is there anything more crucial to your wellbeing than a good health and strong physique?
Take a word of advice – if you’re a young man that’s struggling with the way things are; with women, money and success – then trust us, and get yourself into a gym and start lifting some damn weights. After a few months, you will see improvements in every field of your life. You’ll thank us later.
And in the words of Mr. Ronnie Coleman: “YEAH BUDDY! LIGHTWEIGHT BABY! GOTTA GIT GOOD!”