Strength Training

Why Strength Training?

Strength training is more than building muscle—it's a systematic approach to physical development that mirrors how I approach professional growth. The principles of progressive overload, consistency, and attention to form are directly applicable to building durable software and developing technical skills.

Every session is an opportunity to push slightly beyond previous limits, to refine technique, and to build on the foundation of previous work. The parallels between building physical strength and building software systems are striking: both require patience, systematic effort, and a long-term perspective.

Core Principles

Progressive Overload

Gradually increasing the stress placed on the body to drive adaptation. This principle of incremental improvement applies directly to learning new technologies and taking on increasingly complex projects.

Consistency

Regular training, even when motivation is low, compounds over time. The same consistency in coding practice, code reviews, and learning builds expertise that can't be rushed.

Technique First

Proper form prevents injury and ensures effective training. In software, following best practices and design patterns prevents technical debt and ensures maintainable code.

Long-Term Perspective

Strength is built over months and years, not days. This long-term thinking helps me make decisions that prioritize sustainable progress over quick wins.

Strength Training & Software Engineering

The parallels between strength training and software engineering are profound:

Progressive overload: Just as you gradually increase weight or volume in training, you take on increasingly complex problems in software. Each project builds on previous experience.
Compound movements: Exercises like squats and deadlifts work multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Similarly, well-designed software components serve multiple purposes and integrate seamlessly.
Recovery and rest: Muscles grow during recovery, not during training. Taking breaks from coding, getting sleep, and maintaining work-life balance are essential for sustained performance.
Form and fundamentals: Bad form leads to injury; bad code leads to technical debt. Both require constant attention to fundamentals and best practices.
Plateaus and breakthroughs: Progress isn't linear in either domain. Plateaus are normal, and breakthroughs often come after periods of apparent stagnation.
Systematic approach: Effective training follows a program. Effective software development follows processes, patterns, and methodologies.

My Training Approach

Compound Movements

Focusing on multi-joint exercises like squats, deadlifts, and presses that build functional strength and work multiple muscle groups efficiently.

Program-Based Training

Following structured programs with clear progression schemes rather than random workouts. This systematic approach ensures consistent progress.

Recovery & Mobility

Prioritizing sleep, nutrition, and mobility work to support training and prevent injury. Sustainable training requires taking care of the whole system.

Beyond Physical Strength

Strength training builds more than muscle. It develops discipline, patience, and mental resilience. The ability to push through discomfort, to show up consistently even when you don't feel like it, and to trust the process even when progress seems slow—these are all valuable skills that transfer to every area of life.

The confidence that comes from knowing you can handle physical challenges translates to confidence in tackling difficult technical problems. The patience required to build strength over years helps me take a long-term view of my career and projects.