Do you own your reps?

In your training programme, it is very likely that you have sets and reps programmed, from 3 sets of 12, to 5 sets of 6 – all dependent on factors such as your goal and your exercise experience. 

But, rather than needing to complete a certain number, is it not more important to focus on the reps themselves?

Of course, the principle of progressive overload is important.  The body needs to be stressed in order to develop muscle strength or size.  Increasing the amount of reps over a number of sessions or weeks is one way of doing this, as is increasing the amount of weight that you are lifting.  But in every rep, no matter how many are in your set, no matter how much you are lifting, is your movement controlled?

Are you owning every rep?

It’s all very well getting through a workout, all sets of 12 completed.  You may feel like you have had a great workout.  But were all 12 owned? Or were they rushed, not fully completed, or using compensatory movement patterns?

For injury prevention, focus must come on the form of the movements themselves.  If someone asked you to pause a movement half way, or at any point once you had initiated the rep, you should be in control.   Two-thirds up on the ascent phase of a squat, could you pause comfortably and maintain the correct form?

If the answer is no, then you do not own the movement.  Perhaps, if you are performing a rep with weight, the weight is too much.  Perhaps, that particular technique is too difficult for you at that moment in time.  Perhaps, the rep range that you are aiming to complete is too many – again, at that moment in time. Perhaps, you are simply moving too quickly through the movement itself.

Reaching failure should not be the aim of every set.  Getting the set completed as quickly as possible should not be the aim.  Completing the entire workout as quickly as possible should not be the aim (I’ll air my thoughts on HIT or HIIT training soon!).

So how do you learn to own your reps?

1. Understand your technique

Firstly, make sure that you understand what the technique is.  What is the correct start position? End position? What are the cues that you need to give yourself in order to move from A to B? Which muscles should the exercise be targeting? At each point of the movement, which muscles should you be engaging? You don’t necessarily need to study each exercise at a textbook level for hours and hours before every workout.  But in order to maximise the potential of an exercise for you, you need to know at least the basics.  If you are unsure, there’s a wealth of information online if you look in the right place (not just necessarily on your favourite Instagram influencer’s page...).

2.  Use the correct technique and form

Once you know the details of how to execute a technique correctly, use them! The benefits that you get out of each rep is directly proportional to how correctly you execute that rep.  Use the knowledge you have gained, to ensure that you are working the target muscle to its potential – and at the same time avoiding any compensations or injuries.

As you progress through a set or a workout, ensure correct technique is on every rep.  Make the technique of your LAST rep be identical to your first.  Video yourself if needed! Aside from maybe more interesting facial expressions, no difference should be visible!

3.  Use the correct weight for YOU

In order to perform the technique correctly, and to be able to own your reps, make sure that you’re using the right weight for you.  Avoid using more weight that you can handle for that movement, on that day. 

Don’t be tempted to stick to only one size dumbbell because that’s the one that’s available in a particular part of a gym, or that’s the weight that your gym buddy is using.  Now, if you’re at home with only one kettlebell or weight available then, of course, use it for a range of exercises.  But don’t exceed your capabilities. 

Using a weight that’s too heavy can cause you to use momentum to complete the lift, rather than technique.  Or you can cause deviations from the correct movement patterns, such as doing half squats, half curls or mini chest presses.  Through doing this, injury risk increases.  Your progress won’t be optimal.

Keep in mind – a workout one day will not be identical to your last.  So many different factors can impact how your body responds to exercise on a particular day.  If your programme said you were lifting x amount of weight last week, but when using the same weight today, you can’t maintain solid form, drop the weight.  Even go bodyweight.  Don’t feel guilty.

4.  Keep your muscles in mind

As you perform each rep, visualise the muscles that are working. Squeeze the target muscle.  By maintaining a mental connection with your muscles during each rep, you can increase the amount of muscle fibres that are being recruited.  This will support your control over each phase of the movement, and will also support greater muscle growth over the long term.  Win win!

In every rep, instead of only focusing on the weight that you are lifting (external), focus on the internal, the muscle moving it.

5. Tempo is key

No matter the weight that you are lifting, or the number of reps that you are aiming to complete, tempo is such an important factor in owning your reps and making the most out of each exercise.   Too often, I see clients rush the reps, bounce at the bottom of their movements, and not give tempo a second thought.  To make optimal progress, from progress in hypertrophy and muscle growth to strength, you need to be in control of the speed of what you are doing – the whole of what you are doing. 

But movements are made of two phases.  You need to own both the eccentric and concentric phases of each rep i.e. You shouldn’t rush the going up or the going down.

Concentrating on the concentric contraction will help with your strength development.  Focusing on the eccentric phase will support better muscle-mass development.  Focusing on both will also help build neuro-muscular connections, coordination and control.  Generally, the rule is one second up, three seconds down for every rep.  This is because three times as many muscle fibers are activated during the eccentric or negative phase of the exercise, so lowering the weight slowly and under control will work the muscle far harder. 

Yet, don’t limit yourself at the 3:1 tempo.  Go even slower than 3 seconds.  Explore the tempo where you feel you need work.  Just always be sure that the negative motion is slower than the positive when executing your reps.

#findyourformula