Strength training can truly transform your life. It has the power to build a robust, healthy and eye-catching physique.

But only if done correctly.

Most gym-goers don't have a clue of what they're doing. They might be missing knowledge, skill, dedication or a mixture of the three.

Here's a collection of rules to help you do strength training the right way. These will help you create the right mindset for lifelong strength training, achieving your goals, and prevent you from making regrettable mistakes, hurting yourself or ending up throwing in the towel.

To ensure you're on the right track, here are 15 powerful one-sentence rules to live by:

Rule #1: Master technique first, add weight second.

Rule #2: Strength training is a skill; give it time, practice, and be consistent.

Rule #3: Never sacrifice form for a heavier load.

Rule #4: Do the "biggest" exercises first, the "smaller" exercises later in the workout.

The more/bigger the muscles you use, the bigger the exercise, and vice versa.

Rule #5: Keep your ego at home; you can't force yourself to be stronger than you are.

Rule #6: The last few reps of an exercise should be challenging, not grueling nor easy.

Rule #7: Warm up properly; elevate your heart rate, move each joint, activate each muscle, practice each movement pattern.

Rule #8: Don't count reps, make the reps count (reps aren't created equal).

Rule #9: Stay focused during an exercise; if your mind tries to distract you, ignore it and refocus on the task at hand.

Rule #10: Honor your rest times; you can't stimulate a proper strength response under fatigue.

Rule #11: An exercise isn't inherently good or bad; they exist on a spectrum (you can score anywhere between 1-10).

Rule #12: Don't expect that you'll score an 8 or higher on your first attempt at a new exercise.

Rule #13: Don't worry about not getting it perfect when practicing a new exercise.

Rule #14: Don't fear making 'mistakes' in the gym; fear copying stuff you see online without proper instruction.

Rule #15: Getting advanced at strength training requires decades of dedicated training, not just a year, months, or weeks.

There you have it — 15 rules to live by in the gym. Burn them into your mind and let them guide every training session. It won't be easy, but that's the price of entry for achieving something extraordinary. Stay dedicated, consistent and you'll get there.