The New "Science-Based" Excuse.

STORY

Over the last few years, there’s been a shift. Training culture has gone from pushing limits to pulling back, all under the excuse of “science-based programming.” It’s now common to hear that you don’t need to train heavy, through a full range of motion, or that high intensity is overrated, and that “optimal” means doing the bare minimum.

I’m all for evidence. But somewhere along the way, people started using their biased view of training and science as an escape hatch from putting in real work. The problem is, much of what they hold up as “evidence” is cherry-picked research mixed with YouTuber opinion.

EXPLANATION

None of this is me telling you to push through injuries, skip rest days, or avoid deloads. I’m pointing out how a new wave of influencers and “science bros” take research they haven’t even read and use it to sell gimmick programs, coaching, or build a biased following.

Don’t fall for it. Optimize your training, but don’t strip out the intensity just because it’s easier.

Science should make you better, not softer. Research can guide programming, recovery, and progression. The problem is when studies are cherry-picked to justify avoiding the hard stuff. Data is only as good as how you apply it.

No study replaces sweat. Progressive overload, pushing limits, and doing things that feel uncomfortable have always been the backbone of strength and performance gains. You can’t “optimize” your way around the effort required for real adaptation.

Brains and brawn work best together. Use science to program smarter, avoid burnout, and recover better. Combine that with phases of heavy lifting, grind sets, and higher intensity work. Effort without direction is wasted, but direction without effort is just spinning your wheels.

The bare minimum won’t take you far. It’s great for short-term efficiency, but it becomes a trap when it’s your ceiling instead of your floor. If you want lasting results, you have to raise the bar, not just meet it.

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MINDSET

Use the science. Then do the work. Both matter. One without the other leaves progress on the table.

And a good amount of the time, if you go in and put some work in and be a bit mindful of form, you’re going to achieve some awesome results!

Train smart, but never forget to train hard.

That balance is where the real progress happens.