“I can’t thank you enough. You helped change my life, and I thank you for that.”
For the last 16 months, we’ve been building a village. And each week, we receive comments like the one above from Jason.
People have asked us for the secret. Because something different is happening in The Pump. We’ve seen people lose more than 100 pounds, add slabs of muscle like never before, become their healthiest version in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, and helped people finally solve their diet after decades of struggles.
The secret? The biggest breakthroughs are the ones you least expect.
Yesterday, in honor of Arnold’s 77th birthday and the first-ever Pump sale, we asked the 20,000 success stories in the app to share the best tips they’ve learned from the Pump.
We summarized the most impactful responses, and here’s what the village wanted you to know…
Recovery Is Just As Important As Training
Make sure to take the rest days. It’s so easy to think you always need to train. I was like that. But — despite my resistance at first — once I started following the plan as it was written, I got stronger, added muscle, and lost more fat. Adam kept saying, “More is NOT always more,” and it finally clicked. I gave it a real try for a few months, and I’m so glad I stuck with it instead of doubting the process.
I never thought about progress the way I do now. It’s one thing to push hard each workout, sweat, and feel like you did work. It’s another to be able to push harder than the prior workout and see yourself getting stronger and better. I never realized that I was holding myself back by thinking I couldn’t take days off.
“Garbage Reps, Garbage Results”
Many people work out, but few do so with intention. The Pump taught me how to get more out of each workout without spending more time on it. There’s a difference between showing up and doing 10 reps and showing up and making sure the last 3 to 4 reps of every exercise are incredibly challenging. I didn’t know when to increase weight or lower weight. I would just do the reps instead of chase hard reps. This small shift alone has made every workout better.
Be Curious
I’ve been active my whole life and working out for more than a decade, and I’ve never seen anything near the results I’ve been getting with the workouts Arnold and Adam created for us. When I first started, the mindset articles helped the most. I needed to rethink how I approached exercise and diet. Then, the community helped me with their unbelievable support and kind words as I learned to be vulnerable and share my struggles. Then it was the workouts, and then all of the articles because these guys do a fantastic job of simplifying all the information that’s out there and making sure their advice is BACKED UP BY STUDIES AND RESEARCH. And then don’t just give citations. They give full links. I’ve never seen another app where you have so much access to the people who run it! Not to mention, the app pays for itself with all the discounts we get!
Habit Trumps Motivation
The Action Plan is super effective! It helps me avoid becoming overwhelmed with too many goals at once. Seeing all the little green check marks keeps me on track. Since implementing it, I’ve achieved several goals that have become habits, like waking up early for my workouts, not eating late a night, and now I’m working on the FUBAR challenge diet goals: 8,000 steps a day and 2 liters of water a day. It really helps me a lot.
If it’s automatic to train, then motivation is extra. This has helped me so much! I don’t think about it — I just go train. Simple!
Embrace The Foundation
Confession: I was one of those people. I saw “full-body workouts, three days per week,” and I figured it wasn’t for me. But then my friends told me to give it a try. I still didn’t listen, but I’m glad I finally did. Best decision I ever made was to do the Foundation’s three phases. I don’t know why I doubted Arnold!
I thought it was stupid to have to do it…until it started kicking my ass 🙂 And really focus on “first set mindset” and the training principles. They’re genuine game changers. I’ve been lifting for 25 years and have never been pushed like this.
First Set Mindset
My whole life, I tried to pace myself in my workouts. I didn’t realize that I was wasting my early sets when I had the least amount of fatigue. Everyone should read Adam’s “First Set Mindset” post. It changed everything. I’m stronger, more muscular, and lost more fat. All because I now know how to push harder, increase intensity, and get the most out of any workout, especially at the start of the the workout. Even workouts that used to look easy can now become the best workout ever because of First Set Mindset.
It Doesn’t F*cking Matter
I’m a chronic overthinker, and this was very liberating to hear, and something I try to live by now. Sweating the small details can often be the reason people quit. When we set unrealistic goals, make complicated plans for obtaining those goals, or beat ourselves up when the plan goes off course, we tend to throw up our hands and quit or go crazy indulging. So, whatever it is you’re overthinking on or beating yourself up about — STOP.
I can’t thank Arnold enough for this. I lost the fear of making mistakes. Normally, when I would slip up with my diet or exercise, I would start to slide. But Arnold showed how a bad meal or a missed workout doesn’t matter as long as you’re consistent most of the days. I no longer beat myself up. I have a better mindset. And because of that, I stay more consistent, am happier, exercise more, and eat better.
Rethink Counting Calories
I always thought you had to count calories and macros to see results. Or that you had to eat perfectly and have no desserts. I haven’t limited the foods I eat, but I’ve learned to be more in control of what I eat. I never thought that I could take an 80-20 approach to eating and see real results, but it turns out I didn’t really know how to eat for 80-20. I was fooling myself, and all the videos, recipes, and diet Q&As have opened my eyes! I can now eat healthy and eat foods I enjoy, but I know where to cut myself off.
I haven’t been limited, but I’m more conscious due to thinking of eating slower and following the 20 minutes for a meal rule. It works wonders, and now I’m down to 17 percent body fat.
Consistency Over Perfection
My whole life, I could never stick with a routine. Now, I’m in my 7th month using the app and haven’t missed a workout. What changed? You helped me think less. You tell us to follow a plan that lets you do the thinking, and I do the work. But, it’s not so rigid that I feel like I can’t succeed.
The way you help us be consistent with flexibility — with exercises and food — is unlike anything I’ve seen. And it works. Thank you. I’ll never go back to the rigid ways.
And now with the exercise swap, it’s easier than ever to make the workouts work for me. Love that this app keeps improving and taking our suggestions.
Reframe Your Mindset
I’ve been doing the Bodyweight Foundation, and one of my biggest struggles is pull-ups. I was doing a set and said to myself, “Come on fatty,” and my 5-year-old daughter heard it and said, “Yeah, sometimes I’m fat too.” Needless to say, I then reframed it and encouraged her. Now, I don’t call myself that because I don’t need to think that, and definitely don’t want her to either.
Be Vulnerable
I’ve never been in a community where I can openly discuss what’s in my way. It’s still hard. But the moment I did it, I could finally explain my struggles with eating and fitness. And I was shocked by how Arnold, Adam, and Daniel could share helpful answers. And the rest of the community had suggestions too. Instead of trying to solve everything myself, I can’t tell you how much it helped to hear other people have similar struggles and what it meant to finally have a direction to make things better.
The Fiber Factor
Why does no one talk about this? You have made it easier to assess every meal by making sure it includes protein (duh!) but also fiber. And showing us all the ways you can add fiber has helped so much with fullness, satisfaction, and cutting cravings. So simple and brilliant. Thank you!
The Tension Principle
I never realized that I wasn’t activating my muscles through a full range of motion. I would do full range, but I never was taught how to focus on creating tension. Learning how to feel the stretch in my muscle and then flex it without losing tension has made some very noticeable results. Even if I had to lower the weight temporarily, the workouts became harder and more effective. Now, I’m definitely stronger and my size has increased.
Embrace The Struggle
I used to hate those hard, slow last reps. They made me feel like I was failing. Struggling embarrassed me, so I avoided ever stepping out of my comfort zone. Now, I chase the struggle outside my comfort zone because I know that’s where I grow. It’s true for training and life.
Ask For Help
This app is filled with the best fitness and nutrition experts. It’s amazing how often we don’t ask for help and what happens when you’re surrounded by people who are committed to helping. Having people you can trust is freeing. I’ve asked about nutrition, exercises, supplements…and they have always been helpful and courteous.
Stop Winging It
I thought I could read about programs, take the best exercises, show up, and see results. I was so wrong. It’s so much easier for me knowing what I have to do and then go to the gym and do it.
We all tend to do what we want and not what we need. I would tell everyone to stop being so stubborn. I was that person. I’ve been working out for 20 years. I thought I was strong. But this is the first time I really did the program as it was written. I had so many doubts the first month, but I said I would do the Foundation and commit to all three phases. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made. I’ve never been fitter or healthier.
Want To Join The Village?
The Pump sale is about to end. Before the offer is gone, join The Pump for as little as $6 per month. It includes all the workouts, exercise tutorials from Arnold, weekly Q&A’s with Arnold and his expert team, the habit tracker, discounts on your favorite fitness and nutrition products, and so much more.
When you sign up for the annual plan, you’ll also receive a $100 gift card to Momentous (for all your third-party tested supplements like protein and creatine), as well as The Pump Diet (a $20 ebook).
And it includes a free 7-day trial, so it’s risk-free. The offer ends soon. Join the Pump today to experience the difference.
