Lifting Weights Doesn’t Make You Stronger (Hang With Me…!)

A client asked me the other day… 👉 “How do these stupid dumbbells magically make my muscles bigger?”

Well…they don’t!

The workout only creates a signal to change.

Rest is when the change actually happens.

When you’re doing Bicep Curls, you’re not “building” muscle during that set. You’re only creating a physiological signal for your body to adapt to the work you’re doing.

The muscle growth comes later. When you slow down, sit on the couch, and sleep at night, your body uses the nutrients from your diet to actually create changes.

• Muscle repairs

• Blood flow is improved

• Hormones rebalance

• Energy systems adapt

• Inflammation comes down

✅ All of that happens during recovery — not when you’re mid-set.

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🥶 That’s why you can work out hard and still feel stuck.

If recovery is low, the body stays in survival mode instead of building mode.

• Poor quality diet

• Little sleep

• Stress from work

• Constant rushing

• Never unplugging

When a client is hitting a plateau, I don’t look at their workout program first.

I look at their recovery first. Then their workouts second.

👉 If you can be a better steward of your recovery, often you’ll break that plateau.

So if you’re always tired, always sore, or always relying on energy drinks…

You’re likely not “being lazy.”

You’re likely just under-recovered.

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👉 Bottom line: PROPER REST IS ESSENTIAL.

It’s always been part of God’s design.

It’s why He made Creation in 6 days and rested on the 7th.

It’s why He made the Sabbath mandatory for the Israelites.

❌ The rhythm isn’t work, work, work.

✅ The rhythm is work hard, rest intentionally.

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❌ So if your progress feels stalled, don’t ask:

“How can I do more?”

✅ Ask:

“Where can I steward better recovery?”

Sometimes growth looks less like adding workouts…

And more like:

• Protecting sleep

• Protecting quiet time

• Seeking out a quality diet (protein, vitamins, minerals)

• Putting your phone down

• Embracing boredom and quietness

• Walking more

That’s not “being lazy”.

That’s working with how God made you.

Hope this helps!