5 Training Principles That Work in the Real World

The fitness world is noisy. Everywhere you look, there’s a new “hack,” “must do workout,” or quick fix promise. The problem is, all that information leaves people overwhelmed and confused.

After coaching since 2010, from one on one PT, to bootcamps, to sports specific pre seasons. I’ve found that results don’t come from chasing every new trend. They come from sticking to a few simple principles and applying them consistently. These are the same principles I’ve used with beginners, busy parents, and athletes alike. They’re the foundation of MHR Online, and they work in the real world.

1. Consistency Beats Intensity

The biggest difference-maker isn’t how hard you can go in a single session, it’s how many times you can show up over weeks, months, and years.

• What it looks like: Hitting 3-4 sessions a week, every week, beats smashing yourself for 6 sessions one week and then dropping off.

• Example: I’ve seen busy parents train just 30 minutes three times a week, and make more progress than someone who goes all in for a fortnight then disappears.

• Why it works: Consistency creates habits, and habits build momentum. Even when progress feels slow, you’re stacking wins that add up over time.

Coach’s takeaway: Don’t chase the “perfect” week. Chase consistency.

2. Progression Is Key

If you’re not asking your body to gradually do more, you’ll eventually stall. That doesn’t mean crushing yourself every workout, it means giving your body small, steady challenges it can adapt to.

• What it looks like: Adding 2.5 kg to a lift, pushing for an extra rep, shaving a few seconds off a run.

• Example: A client who started with bodyweight squats eventually built up to weighted lunges and barbell squats. Each small step set up the next one.

• Why it works: This is progressive overload. It strengthens muscles, reinforces motor neuron pathways, and improves performance without overwhelming your body.

Coach’s takeaway: Progress doesn’t need to be dramatic. Small steps forward are the most sustainable.

3. Recovery Is Part of Training

This one’s often ignored, but it’s just as important as the training itself. Your body doesn’t grow stronger while you’re working, it grows stronger while you’re resting.

• What it looks like: Prioritising sleep, fuelling your body, and taking rest days seriously.

• Example: I’ve coached athletes who trained hard but constantly hit walls. When we fixed their sleep and recovery habits, progress skyrocketed.

• Why it works: Recovery allows your muscles, joints, and nervous system to adapt. Without it, you’re just breaking your body down without building it back up.

Coach’s takeaway: Recovery isn’t being lazy. It’s where the gains actually happen.

4. Nutrition Supports Performance, Not Perfection

You don’t need a complicated, restrictive diet to get results. The best nutrition plan is the one you can actually stick to.

• What it looks like: Whole foods, plenty of protein, and balance. Enjoying life while still fuelling your goals.

• Example: I’ve seen people drop weight and perform better by focusing on simple changes, adding more protein to each meal, swapping processed snacks for whole foods, instead of chasing a “perfect” diet.

• Why it works: Food is fuel. When you think of nutrition as supporting performance rather than punishing yourself, it becomes sustainable.

Coach’s takeaway: Aim for progress, not perfection. Nutrition is a tool, not a punishment.

5. Training Should Fit Your Life

At the end of the day, the best program is the one you can stick with. Training isn’t supposed to take over your life, it’s supposed to improve it.

• What it looks like: A program that works around your job, family, and lifestyle, whether that’s 3 sessions a week or 5.

• Example: I’ve had shift workers train on an adjusted schedule and still hit their goals, because the plan fit them, not the other way around.

• Why it works: Fitness that constantly clashes with your life is short-lived. Training that fits is training that lasts.

Coach’s takeaway: Your fitness should build you up, not burn you out.

Putting It All Together

These 5 principles are the backbone of MHR Online. They’re not flashy, and they’re not complicated, but they work. If you stick to them, you’ll build strength, fitness, and resilience that last well beyond a single program.

Here’s your action step: pick one principle and focus on it this week. Maybe it’s nailing three sessions, adding a rep to your main lift, getting more sleep, making a smarter food choice, or adjusting your training schedule so it’s more realistic.

Because at the end of the day, training isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about showing up, staying consistent, and building strength that lasts.