People often ask me what they should do first when they start a fitness program.

My answer is always the same.

“Get stronger.”

The truth is, you simply can't go wrong with STRONG.

First, strength proves itself to be the most important physical characteristic due to its positive connection to almost every OTHER characteristic.

Simply put, the stronger you are, the more potential you have to develop other areas of physicality like muscle growth, fat loss, endurance, mobility and overall quality of life. :-)

Now that we know that getting stronger is kind of a big deal, let’s address the question, "How strong should you be?" 

Strength can be viewed in absolutes (a.k.a. how much weight can you lift) or in relative terms (how much weight can you lift for your bodyweight and age). The latter is more applicable for most people.

You obviously don't need to be a powerlifter, but you can get really strong for your body and your life.

How strong are you relative to your body weight and your age? That's a powerful metric for health, wellness and longevity. If you’d like to go deeper, I came across an article that does a great job of defining different levels of strength for men and women when it comes to the four foundational strength exercises: back squat, deadlift, bench press and overhead press. Check it out here: https://whitecoattrainer.com/blog/how-strong-are-you

At the end of the day, don’t get caught up in comparing yourself to other people. And more importantly, enjoy the journey.

Getting strong feels great … and unlocks your potential in every other area of fitness.