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Improve your game inside the gym with these foundational training pillars
1. Choose the exercises that will give you the most bang for your buck. Exercise selection should be dependent on the end goal adaptations you desire. If your goal is to increase your bench press, you should bench press, not run 5k’s. Vice Versa.
2. Standardize every repetition. Range of motion, joint path and tempo should be the same every time. (the speed of the last couple reps may slow down a bit as you approach failure)
3. Make sure you are bracing properly before every rep to help you produce force during your set. This will help you squeeze out an extra rep or two if you are someone who does not typically brace.
4. Do not allow the weight to pull you into passive ranges of motion you cannot control. Stay within your joints active range of motion.
5. Initiate every movement with the working muscle. The muscle you wish to work should be the first thing to move at the beginning of every repetition.
6. Bring your sets to or near failure
7. Maintain your composure when your sets get hard. Getting too hyped up can make you lose your focus. Similarly if you are under aroused for the set you will most likely fall short in your performance. Find a happy medium between arousal and performance. Keep bracing, keep breathing and keep pushing.
8. Moving better is a criterion many overlook. Progression takes many forms. Yes, more weight, more reps, more sets. But movement proficiency should take priority first over the amount of weight you can move.
9. Earn heavier weight by showing movement proficiency at the load you are working with. Once you have proven you can handle the weight you are working with you may increase the load.
11. Do not create demands you cannot recover from. If you cannot recover from the fatigue created through training, you will find yourself over-trained.
11 *BONUS* Maintain consistency with your current split. You will not be able to adapt to the program if it is constantly changing. Allowing boredom or other emotionally driven decisions to “spice things up a bit” is the best way to make sure your wheels keep spinning without going anywhere.