4 Simple Techniques For Squeezing Out That Last Repetition

Joe Weider had, or has, more training principles than Carter had liver pills. If someone came up with an interesting technique, dollars to donuts, it would be Weider Training Principle by the end of the month. Still, he did a nice job of categorizing everything.

One of those principles, the Muscle Overload, is critical to getting stronger. If you can do 7 reps, then you must do 9 or 10 reps to grow. Yet, going beyond your capacity of 7 reps by just 1, let alone 2 or 3, can be near impossible.

Yet, you must and you can. By utilizing these 4 techniques, you can overload your muscles and get on the path to getting stronger.

1. Grip harder. By squeezing the bar as hard as you can, you will increase your capacity to do 1 or 2 reps more. While some have used and advocated this simple technique for doing an extra couple of reps for curls; in fact, this works for all exercises.

2. Flex the whole body. In concert with squeezing the bar as hard as you can, you must flex your entire body when going to absolute failure. Forget about this isolation stuff; when it is time to push your biceps or hamstrings to the absolute limit, everything must help. It is amazing how you much stronger you get when you flex and strain your entire body; even if it’s only to do seated, concentration curls.

3. Breathe hard. Your breathing should be in nice cadence with your movement. You breathe in on the negative movement while exhaling on your positives. I've heard and read some crazy stuff like holding your breath or reversing the flow; don't get distracted. I am no guru, but breathing as I described works. Here's the key though, as you get to the limits of your set; breathe harder and deeper. You need to really exaggerate the intake of air. Imagine your chest and lungs swelling to twice, 3 times their size. And as you push the weight up, or down as the case may be, explode the air out. It will help with at last rep.

4. Visualize. All of your movements must be controlled, that is, you really should not be exploding your weights up with speed (unlike your breathing). But as you perform the positive movement, visualize your muscles exploding with size, swelling with blood, and finishing the movement. Arnold Schwarzenegger used to comment about how he would visualize his biceps as mountain peaks. If it worked for him, then it can work for you.

Of all the techniques for squeezing out that last extra repetition to push your muscles over the limit; forced reps may be the best. Yet that technique requires either a spotter who knows that he is doing or additional resources for drop sets, etc.

In the absence of all that, using these 4 tips will certainly increase your capacity to do those last couple of repetitions.

By: Jack K.

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