Make Every Rep Count

by Ken Schweickert

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Just about anybody has experienced the feeling that the whole set you just lifted did nearly nothing for you. Hopefully, you have also experienced the feeling that the set you just did made great progress toward your objective. While that feeling you get at the end of every set may not be the best way to judge the effectiveness of your lifting program, it is certainly not something that should be disregarded. The following advice cannot guarantee that you will get a feeling of progress after each set, but it can help you get more out of each individual rep in every set.

Make sure that every single time you lift a weight you have a clear idea of three essential details: a definite motion, force, and pace. All three of these key components together will result in highly effective lifts.

Definite Motion

Know what good form is for the exercise you are doing. You should be certain of what the exact movement you are trying to do is. Even a simple movement out of place is enough to entirely change an exercise. This is NOT to say that there is only one correct way to do an exercise. However, if you change the motion within a set, you are doing more than one variation of that exercise in the same set. Furthermore, if you are unsure of the motion you are attempting, you are not lifting with as much concentration as you could be. Whether you can detect it or not, you are constantly questioning your motion. You need to be confident in your motions as well as consistent.

Definite Force

Lift by exerting the same amount of power each rep. When you near the end of your set it will require more effort to lift the weight with the same amount of power as you did in your first rep. Perform the motion explosively on the strenuous portion and maintain perfect control at all times.

Definite Pace

Maintain a consistent tempo throughout your set. Pace your lifts just as you would if you were playing an instrument. You may not always be able to do this, especially on the last rep, but get right back into the timing as soon as you can. If you cannot consistently perform the exercise anymore, then let that be your last rep in the set. If you feel that you did not do enough reps, then lower the weight. This is a factor in lifting that is often neglected, but it really is important to maximizing your workout.