6 Essentials of
Exercise Execution
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6 Essentials of
Exercise Execution
The 6 Essentials of Exercise Execution
Introduction
INTRODUCTION
This stuff is important to know, so turn off all distractions and PAY ATTENTION!
Walk into any gym across the world and you’re sure to see people mindlessly slinging weights, clanging dumbbells, bouncing off extra reps, grunting out 4 inch rep ranges, and massive attention being paid to a how much “intensity”, they’re producing with zero attention being paid to what they’re actually doing.
95% of gym goers have absolutely no idea what they’re doing, how to do it, or even why they’re doing it! Most simply choose to take an ignorant approach in favour of being able to SAY that they go to the gym, but they really have no desire to improve the way they look. If they did care about making progress, logically, they would care about making the most of their time, and learning how to do things correctly, right?
I would hope so.
If you’re reading this, then you’re someone who CARES about getting results.
This is why I’ve taken the time to identify the 6 most important things that every single person in the world who cares about changing the way their body looks MUST apply to maximize their time, their workouts, and their body.
Man, or woman. Young or old. Bodybuilder or soccer mom. Do yourself a favour and learn these 6 Essentials of Exercise Execution. They’re simple, consistent across every exercise, and are guaranteed to triple your results (and that’s putting it modestly).
These are all important, but I’ve put them into a sequence of most important, to least important, in terms of the order you should learn them. It’s unlikely that you’ll learn to apply all 6 overnight. It’s going to take a few focused sessions in the gym.
Start with number 1 as it is most likely to result in immediate changes to your physique.
6 Essentials of
Exercise Execution
Essential of Exercise Number 1...
Initiate With the Working Muscle!
This is by far the most important thing you can do to maximize muscle growth, but is probably the least commonly executed.
So simple to do, yet seldom thought about.
If the muscle you’re trying to target is the SOLE muscle initiating the movement, then you have effectively eliminated inertia or momentum. This means that the target MUSCLE actually has to do WORK!
If you allow your body to initiate with the muscle it chooses, it will always attempt to do the least amount of work possible (just what 95%+ of the population loves so much) and inertia/momentum will take over. Your body is designed to make things easy. To use the path of least resistance. When given the choice, your body will place tension into as many muscles as possible, evenly distributing the load and placing most of the tension through your strongest body parts.
Strengths get stronger, weaknesses remain weak, and the gradient between the two gets even bigger, leading to imbalances and injuries (sore joints anyone?).
Summary
1 Create tension in the working muscle BEFORE moving the weight.
2 Avoid using momentum/inertia
DEMONSTRATION VIDEO
CLICK HERE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljMVwJI1uI0
(
for more information on this, click to check out muscle expert podcast #7 )
https://goo.gl/KSBD75
https://goo.gl/MDPJyD
6 Essentials of
Exercise Execution
Essential of Exercise Number 2...
We have all been guilty of doing a bench press or squat, and pausing for a few seconds at the top of the rep. It seems so natural and almost necessary. That’s our body trying to take the easy way out and rest. Remember, your body was designed for efficiency so that you never run out of stored energy.
From an evolutionary standpoint, you always need to have reserves so that in case you needed to run away from a preda-tor, your body had ample energy. Simply put, your body was designed to make you lazy.
Exercise is no different. As you start to fatigue, your brain and endocrine system are set-up to give you signals that stopping now might be a good idea. You’re still ABLE to continue, but your body would definitely prefer if you didn’t. It must be your primary focus to overcome these natural tendencies and to create habits of exercise success.
Summary
1 Don’t pause/rest at the top or bottom.
2 Keep steady tempo and avoid uncontrolled acceleration in either direction.
DEMONSTRATION VIDEO
CLICK HERE
Maintain Continuous TEMPO!
(maintain continuous MOTION)
6 Essentials of
Exercise Execution
Essential of Exercise Number 3...
Let’s keep this simple. As you train, and your body fatigues, it’s going to start doing everything in its power to make things easier, and not to allow one muscle to fully fatigue. This will include attempting to move, shift, change the plane of move-ment etc.
This is why I preach that it’s so essential to, “lock it down”, meaning once you start a set, that position is locked in stone, and the only thing that moves is the working muscle and the joint it affects.
Some examples of this are:
And the truth is I could list hundreds. One or more for EACH exercise.
Summary
1 >
Don’t let tension shift to other muscles as you fatigue
2 Lock it down’ to avoid losing tension (see Essential #6)
3 Keep tension even at the extremes of the range where it is typically very easy to rest/relax and let tension shift off the workout muscle.
DEMONSTRATION VIDEO
CLICK HERE
Maintain Continuous TENSION!
(inc. at the extremes of the range)
shrugging shoulders when fatiguing on a bench press
kicking your butt back as you fatigue at the bottom of a squat throwing your hips forward during bicep curls
>
>
6 Essentials of
Exercise Execution
Essential of Exercise Number 4...
LEARN WHAT THIS MEANS (there are videos covering each bodypart included in my MI40-Foundation program - www.benpakulski.com/mi40).
It’s not complicated, and there really isn’t that much to remember. The prime physique muscles are all you really need to know at an entry level:
Summary
Step 1
1 > > > > > > > > >The fully shortened position of one muscle is the fully lengthened position of the antagonist That’s 9 in total.
For each muscle, you should learn where both endpoints of the ROM (Range Of Movement) can be found.
2 Each bodypart is covered in detail in MI40-Foundation
DEMONSTRATION VIDEO
CLICK HERE
Ensure Maximum SHORTENING of the Muscle!
Biceps Triceps Back / Lats Pecs Quads Hams Delts Calves Abs http://www.benpakulski.com/mi40/welcome.php
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLyscr-TCAI
6 Essentials of
Exercise Execution
Essential of Exercise Number 5...
Summary
1 At some point during your workout, you must train at the extremes of the range, not just in the mid-range. When to do this can definitely be a factor workout eliciting maximum growth.
2 You may need more than one exercise to accomplish this for most body parts so strategically vary exercises / the angle of force during your workout
DEMONSTRATION VIDEO
CLICK HERE
Isolate ALL Points of the Strength Curve!
http://www.benpakulski.com/mi40/welcome.php This is a little more complicated, and is much less essential for people
in the early years of training. It actually happens naturally when you vary the types of resistance apparatus’ you’re using (eg. free weights vs. machines vs. cables).
If someone tells you that free weights are best for building muscle, tell them they’re full of shit!
This may be true for some muscles, due to the resistance profiling of free weights matching the strength profile of certain muscles. But I guarantee it’s not true for MOST body parts. Sorry to burst your bubble. Strategic variance is key, as is learning to match the body’s strength profile.
6 Essentials of
Exercise Execution
Essential of Exercise Number 6...
1 Sit/Stand ‘Proud’
2 Core tight, spine neutral, chest up
3 Think of pushing the ground/seat away
DEMONSTRATION VIDEO
CLICK HERE
Maintain Proper Posture!
http://www.benpakulski.com/mi40/welcome.php Stand proud! Chest tall, chin in.
The human body is designed to stand in proper alignment, which means your spine is in alignment with a specific curvature.
Slouching, allowing protraction and rounding of the shoulders, lordosis of the spine, internal rotation of the shoulders, and external rotation of the hips etc. are just a few extremely common postural issues suffered by people looking to build muscle.
These are going to be a massive setback when trying to evenly develop the body and preventing long-term injuries.
The proper sitting posture, as well as standing posture, is to imagine... “sit/stand PROUD”!
What would it feel like to sit or stand in a position of absolute confi-dence?
Find that position, and keep it!
Do not allow your chin to travel up or forward, instead try pulling it back inwards toward your spine (make double chins). Try engaging your abs, but extending your thoracic spine at the same time. This can be helpful in “stacking” your spine/vertebrae and preventing extraneous movement, i.e “lock it down”.
It can also be helpful to think about pushing the ground away (or pushing the seat that you’re sitting on, away).
Summary
6 Essentials of
Exercise Execution
There are many points that can be considered when trying to master the art of exercise execution. These 6 are the ones that are not only the most important, but many seem to be the least-known.
I suggest you learn to apply one at a time.
Figure that one out, then master it for each bodypart. It shouldn’t take long, then move on to the next essential point.
Passion, Persistence, One Outcome! Coach Ben
