In fitness, just like with any skill, you wont stay a beginner forever.

Ive seen many people graduate from beginner territory in fitness without knowing, and this leads to problems.

Lets look at how to recognize when youre no longer a beginner and what to do next.

Training, which is a form of practice, also sucks.

But there are benefits, too.

Approach everything with an open mind, because much of what you think you know is probably wrong.

With everything you do, you should be focusing on the why and how.

At this stage, treat fitness a bit more like a science.

double-check you knowwhythis is being recommended andhowyou can go about accomplishing this.

If youre new to something, give a shot to reframe the word beginner.

Yeah, you suck at what youre doing, but so do most people when they start out.

Instead, embrace this as a magic period of rapid growth.

You arent likely to see this again.

The first way is to find objective stands that are dependent on the skill that youre trying to improve.

But this definition can be a bit problematic.

Being intermediate is subjective and there is a wide range of starting points.

For example, two males of the same height and weight might squat 350 lbs.

Beginners should see exponential, or at least linear, progress.

At some point, performance will start to stagnate or even decrease from week-to-week.

By far, the most overwhelmingly common reason for their stagnancy is that they kept training like a beginner.

At this stage, fitness becomes more of a hybrid between art and science.

This is where being mindful becomes paramount.

Such an understanding can be more valuable to your progress than facts and strict directions.

There are some days youll be able to do less and some youll be able to do more.

Knowledge isnt only less important at this stage; it can actually be a hindrance.

All of those things would be a far better use of time for an intermediate trainee.

If you follow them all, youll just go into analysis paralysis.

When I reached my intermediate stage, I started followingMartin BerkhanandLyle McDonalds philosophies exclusively.

As I progressed from there, I then began to listen toBen TormeyandMatt Perryman.

attempt to see what worksboth from a physiological and adherence perspectivethrough experimentation and attempt to have fun doing it.

Youll be able to add this to your mental model.

Theres one thing that everyone who crosses the beginners chasm has in common.

They know that the journey isnt about becoming an expert at fitness.

Rather, its about becoming an expert attheirfitness.