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Another key secret is your exercise form. Perfect form is critical when
performing any specific exercise in your own routine. Look at it this way. The
amount of energy you expend will be the same, regardless of your "style" of
performance. However, your muscle gains will be greatly reduced. Performing a
series of exercises in poor form produces dismal muscle gains.
Let's look at an example. Performing bench presses with 200 pounds of weight for
ten repetitions requires exactly the same amount of work, regardless of how you
perform the movement. If you cheat by using momentum to complete the
repetitions however, only a very small number of muscle fibers will have been
stimulated. The same amount of energy and time was used, but the muscles being
worked were not fully involved. The only thing you have dramatically increased
with this technique, is the chance of injury.
I'm not implying that such "cheat" methods should never be used. They can be
used at the end of a given set of repetitions, if they can be done safely. In
short, all repetition should be performed in perfect form, until which point it
becomes impossible to perform any more without the slight use of momentum. At
this point in the set, only enough momentum to complete an additional one to
two repetitions should be used. And only if it can be done so safely.
In the case of the bench press above, a weight should be selected that allows
you to perform up to eight repetitions in perfect form, without momentum or
cheating. After performing the first eight, attempt two additional repetitions
using just enough momentum to complete each one. In other words, don't stop the
exercise just because a slight level of cheating becomes necessary. Always
strive to perform two additional repetitions, using a little momentum and all
the effort that can be mustered, but only if it is safe to do so.
To make sure that muscle gains are achieved safely, form is one of the most
important factors. Proper form should never be sacrificed in an attempt to add
weight or artificially increase repetitions. Use as much weight as possible to
perform repetitions, while maintaining good form.During the first few
repetitions of a given exercise, you are able to move faster due to you high
levels of strength available. However, this is also when injury is most likely
to occur. It is important to make sure that the first few repetitions of every
set are performed in a slow and deliberate manner. Perfect form should always
be the goal.
Even though a muscle can produce more power at the beginning of a set, during
the first few repetitions, the muscles and tendons have not been given enough
time to warm-up. Injuries can happen at any point during the performance of an
exercise. But, more often than not, the majority of injuries occur during the
first few repetitions. Those that don't, occur because of a lack of proper
form.
Really slow repetition speed is not required. As a general rule, lifting the
weight in approximately two seconds will work just fine. Lower the weight in
approximately four seconds. This may vary slightly throughout the set, which is
perfectly fine, however, always try to perform each repetition at this rate of
speed. This will help you maintain excellent form.
Trent
Brook is the Author of "Huge Gains Fast - How to Get More Rock-Hard
Muscle Mass In A Month Than You Now Get All Year. His "Huge Gains
Fast" muscle building program is an easy-to-follow system so simple
and understandable it's fully explained to you in just 4 easy steps!
The Revised Edition is now available online at his website, http://www.hugegainsfast.com
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