We’ve all been there. It’s rep 10 and you have two more to go. Or maybe it’s minute 22 out of a 30 minute workout. You feel exhausted. You’re almost there and yet that fatigue is setting in fierce and seemingly insurmountable.
However, those final reps in a set and moments in your workout day are also when good form matter most, both to avoid injury and also to more adequately break down your muscle fibers so that tissue regrows stronger.
While your mental drive is definitely a factor during these crucial moments, fatigue is also a very real thing. If you are truly fatigued, actually getting the proper muscles to engage may be quite difficult. This can be overcome by ensuring you have a licensed professional to know how to keep you motivated, engaged, and moving. If you literally cannot lift those final reps, things must be adjusted so that you can continue to make progress, while giving adequate recovery time.
At the same time, if proper form is not withheld, you risk great injury. Remember to keep your core engaged, as well as the joints involved to the muscle activity you are performing. There are surprising tricks that can help engage those joints and offer proper protection. Are you doing bicep curls? Remember to keep your wrists tight. Focus on lifting the weight up by contracting the bicep first, rather than just pulling with the hand. Are you doing flys? Keep your triceps engaged to assist in the movement, and pretend you are wringing out your pectorals like a wet sponge.
If your mind tells you that you cannot do that next rep, you will not be able to push through fatigue. Sometimes proper motivation can help turn that negativity into positive positioning in your brain. Strength is found when we push past our self-imposed boundaries— albeit safely. If you need help discovering new ways to get more out of your workout, safely, contact us for a free consultation.