This post is all about how to make the most out of your gym sessions through the magic of mind muscle connection. This could be the difference between reaching your goals or not; of course there are other vital ingredients such as training and diet.
Firstly - Form over Weight
Yes, lifting heavy can be great for achieving muscle growth but not if it means compromising your form. As well as preventing injury, holding the correct form also allows the targeted muscle to be stimulated correctly. This comes from focus, determination and no distractions! If you are unsure how an exercise should be preformed ASK a member of gym staff.
Goals
You should have an overall goal - muscle gain, fat loss etc. After this you can break it down into smaller goals - increase number of pull ups, squat heavier, lose 7 pounds etc. Once you have established these larger goals you can then begin to set goals for each workout. For every workout I do I like to pick at least one thing to REALLY focus on! Yes every exercise preformed is important, but this helps me to focus. Which ever exercise you pick should be preformed near the beginning of your workout for maximum success.
The Training Session
In general you should keep your workout focused. This means not spending half the time chatting with friends or on your phone. I also advise ALWAYS planning your workout ahead of time. This really helps me to focus during my workouts. I get in there, knowing exactly what Im going to do, short rests, and moving quickly onto the next exercise.
Each Exercise
The mind is a very powerful tool; the body will achieve what the mind believes. Follow these steps to ensure each exercise is executed to its full potential:
- Imagine yourself doing the exercise
- Think - what muscles am I about to use and how am I going to work them
- Concentrate on contracting and expanding the muscle in use
- Feel the muscle working
- Squeeze the targeted muscle
- And slowly return the weight back down