Patience is the bedrock of lasting success in both fitness and life. It’s the ability to stay committed to your goals while trusting that consistent effort will yield results over time. In the gym and beyond, it is easy to be seduced by the promise of quick fixes, whether it’s crash diets, miracle supplements, or trendy training programs. However, these often lead to burnout, injury, or fleeting gains that quickly vanish.
The Enduring Strength of Patience
I have learned a great deal about patience from studying the works of three of the greatest strength and performance coaches: Charles Poliquin, Louie Simmons, and Dr. Frederick Hatfield. These men revolutionized strength training by emphasizing the importance of long-term planning, calculated progressions, and the ability to embrace the process over time.
- Charles Poliquin taught the value of precision and periodization, showing how small, deliberate changes over months and years lead to extraordinary results. He often said, “Strength and hypertrophy are earned, not given. Consistency beats talent when talent refuses to work hard over time.”
- Louie Simmons, the mastermind behind Westside Barbell, built a legacy of strength by focusing on incremental progress and embracing the grind. His system was designed around patience and adaptability, rotating exercises and building volume methodically to break through plateaus.
- Dr. Frederick Hatfield, or “Dr. Squat,” emphasized mastering the fundamentals before chasing heavier weights. He famously said, “You don’t learn to lift big by rushing—master the basics, and the rest will follow.”
Their teachings have profoundly influenced my understanding of how patience is not just a virtue but a skill to be practiced. Through their examples, I’ve come to see that embracing patience leads not only to better results but to a deeper appreciation of the process itself.
This article explores how these lessons on patience can transform your approach to fitness and personal growth, helping you achieve lasting success while avoiding the pitfalls of quick fixes.
The Illusion of Quick Fixes
Quick fixes thrive on the promise of instant results. Whether it’s a diet that guarantees rapid weight loss or a workout program claiming to pack on muscle in weeks, these approaches appeal to our impatience. Yet, the reality is that most quick fixes are unsustainable, often leading to burnout, injury, or regression.
Louie Simmons often warned against chasing immediate gratification in training, saying, “Strength is built over years, not days.” His methodology at Westside Barbell emphasized slow, consistent progress rather than rushing to achieve PRs, which could lead to injuries or stagnation.
Practical takeaway: Reflect on times you pursued a quick fix. Ask yourself: What worked, and what didn’t? Use these insights to build a sustainable plan rooted in consistent effort.
Patience as a Skill: Why It Matters
Patience is not passive—it’s an active skill that allows us to endure challenges and stay the course. In Mastery, Charles Poliquin highlighted how patience fosters long-term growth, particularly in hypertrophy and strength. He believed that those who focused on incremental gains, rather than rushing progress, built a more robust foundation for success.
Dr. Hatfield echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need to refine technique and master the basics before adding intensity. His mantra, “Strength is a skill,” underscores the value of deliberate, patient practice.
Practical takeaway: Reframe your fitness journey as a marathon, not a sprint. Focus on small, consistent improvements rather than immediate results.
The Role of Consistency in Long-Term Gains
Consistency is the cornerstone of success in fitness and life. It’s not about one spectacular workout or an intense week of dieting—it’s about showing up day after day, even when motivation wanes. Poliquin famously said, “You can’t out-train inconsistency.”
Louie Simmons structured his training philosophy around this principle. By rotating exercises and managing volume, he ensured his lifters could stay consistent without overtraining. This long-term approach allowed for steady progress while avoiding burnout.
Practical takeaway: Build a routine that prioritizes consistency over perfection. Show up, even on the days when you feel less motivated.
The Compound Effect: Small Actions, Big Results
The compound effect is the idea that small, consistent actions accumulate into significant outcomes over time. In fitness, this is evident in progressive overload, where slight increases in weight, reps, or intensity lead to substantial long-term gains.
Dr. Hatfield often emphasized microloading as a way to leverage the compound effect. By making small, incremental improvements, lifters could consistently break through plateaus without risking overtraining or injury.
Practical takeaway: Break your goals into manageable steps. Focus on executing each step consistently, trusting that they will build toward larger successes.
Learning Through the Process
Patience allows us to learn and adapt as we go. Rushing through the process often leads to mistakes, whether it’s improper form, overtraining, or neglecting recovery. Poliquin’s philosophy of “structural balance” emphasized addressing weak points and refining technique before pursuing heavier lifts.
Louie Simmons also believed in learning through experimentation, encouraging lifters to test variations and assess what worked for their unique needs.
Practical takeaway: View every training session as a learning opportunity. Reflect on what went well and where you can improve.
Overcoming Impatience: Strategies for Staying the Course
Impatience often arises from frustration with slow progress or comparison to others. Simmons advised lifters to focus inward, saying, “Your progress is yours alone—don’t let others dictate your pace.”
Strategies to combat impatience include practicing mindfulness, journaling progress, and celebrating small wins. These techniques help shift focus from outcomes to the effort required to achieve them.
Practical takeaway: Practice gratitude by noting three things you’ve improved over the past month. Use these reflections to maintain perspective.
Patience in Action: Real-Life Success Stories
The greatest successes in fitness often come from those who embrace patience. Louie Simmons spent decades refining his methods, ultimately helping lifters break world records. Similarly, Poliquin’s athletes achieved greatness by following multi-year plans designed for gradual, sustainable progress.
Practical takeaway: Find inspiration in these stories and apply their lessons to your own journey. Identify a role model whose discipline and patience resonate with you.
The Long-Term Perspective: Health and Longevity
Sustainable habits are the key to lifelong health and performance. Poliquin’s “eat, train, recover” philosophy emphasized balance and longevity, avoiding the extremes that lead to burnout or injury. Dr. Hatfield echoed this sentiment, stating, “True strength isn’t about one peak—it’s about maintaining capability for life.”
Practical takeaway: Evaluate your current routine for sustainability. Make adjustments to ensure your habits support long-term health.
Beyond Fitness: The Broader Impact of Patience
The discipline of patience in fitness spills into other areas of life. Delayed gratification enhances relationships, career growth, and personal development. Simmons often spoke about the mental toughness developed under the bar, saying, “Strength is built in the mind first.”
Practical takeaway: Identify one area outside fitness where you can apply the same patient mindset. Start small and build over time.
Conclusion
True strength comes from trusting the process and embracing the journey. As Poliquin, Simmons, and Hatfield have shown, patience is not just a virtue—it’s a skill that transforms how we approach challenges in fitness and life. By committing to steady, deliberate progress, we unlock our potential for lasting success.
Call to Action
Choose one goal—fitness-related or otherwise—and commit to pursuing it patiently. Track your progress over the next month and celebrate every small victory along the way. Contact Us if you need coaching!
Resources:
Poliquin, C. (1997). The Poliquin Principles: Successful Methods for Strength and Mass Development. SWIS Publishing.
Simmons, L. (2007). Westside Barbell Book of Methods. Westside Barbell.
Greene, R. (2012). Mastery. Viking Penguin.
Hatfield, F. C. (1984). Bodybuilding: A Scientific Approach. Contemporary Books.
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. (2023). Long-term neurophysiological adaptations to resistance training. Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2022). Strength training linked with lower risk of premature death. Retrieved from https://hsph.harvard.edu
University of Sydney. (2017). Strength exercise as vital as aerobic, new research finds. Retrieved from https://www.sydney.edu.au
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