SouthernWorldwide.com – As the summer months approach, many individuals intensify their fitness routines, leading to a surge in gym attendance. While fitness journeys are unique to each person, a fitness expert has shared a simple principle for achieving a healthier physique and well-being: simply move.
Kenny Santucci, a fitness trainer, gym owner, and host of the “Strong New York” podcast, offered his insights on how to reach fitness goals without feeling daunted by workouts. He candidly admitted that he personally dislikes certain exercises, such as back squats, and prefers to opt for alternatives.
“I detest back squatting. I don’t enjoy doing it,” Santucci stated. “But I still squat every time I visit the gym, or whenever it’s leg day. I’ll use a pendulum squat, or a leg press. I’ll do lunges. It doesn’t matter which variation I choose.”
Santucci believes that while structured fitness programs have their place, they are not essential for the average person with a typical lifestyle. He emphasized that rigid adherence to a specific program can deter individuals from maintaining consistency in their gym attendance.
“Do I believe in [fitness] programming? Yes. For the average person who lives a normal life, do you have to adhere to a strict program? [No],” he explained.
According to Santucci, when an exercise feels like a laborious task, it can significantly impede one’s ability to remain consistent with their workouts.
“If you’re thinking to yourself, ‘Oh, God, I have to go do legs, I don’t want to…’ then go do something else,” he advised. “Swing a kettlebell, push a sled, do something. Just move. I would rather encourage people to move than anything else.”
Santucci wants individuals to approach their fitness activities with enthusiasm. He believes that the decision to go to the gym should be automatic, and once there, the possibilities for what to do are limitless.
“I want people to look forward to it,” Santucci added. “You should never question, ‘Should I go or should I not?’ You should go, and then what you do when you get there – the sky’s the limit.”
While Santucci champions general movement, he also pointed out that not all forms of exercise will yield the desired results for muscle development.
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To achieve better outcomes, he frequently advises gym-goers to incorporate more strength training into their routines and to lift weights that are “a little bit heavier.”
“Strength training should be the basis of what you do, not cycling,” he commented, offering cycling as a contrasting example. “I have nothing against cycling… but if you’re telling me that that’s the basis of your training, and your goal is aesthetics, then you are not really helping yourself get to that point any easier.”
Santucci suggests working at approximately 60% to 80% of one’s maximum capacity, pushing towards a point of fatigue with moderate intensity.
“And if you’re not doing those things, then you’re probably not going to get out what you think you’re going to,” he stated.
He elaborated on the science behind muscle growth, noting that without external force challenging the muscle tissue and adequate protein intake, muscle building is unlikely.
“There’s a science behind muscle growth, and if there’s no external force pushing against the muscle tissue, and you’re not fueling yourself with protein, then you’re probably not going to build muscle,” he explained.
Despite these specifics, Santucci still encourages everyone to engage in a variety of physical activities.
“Hard doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a better workout,” he said. “If you’re training at levels of intensity, then you’re reproducing good outcomes.”
“I don’t want it to be hard for the sake of it being hard,” he continued. “I want to progress at something. I want to get better at something. So, understanding your goal and working backwards from there will help you… design a better program for yourself.”
