Explode With New Muscle And Strength When Your Master These Simple Secret Techniques!

Charles Poliquin is one of the most knowledgeable, innovative, well respected and sought after trainers in the world. He has successfully coached numerous Olympic medalists and professional athletes. In addition, through his Poliquin Performance Center and extensive writing, “Coach” Poliquin has assisted countless people, around the world, in the pursuit of their specific physical goals. In a time when words like “genius” and “expert” are casually thrown around, Poliquin is one of the very few who lives up to (and exceeds) the magnitude of those accolades. Currently, elite trainers and coaches can become certified by the Poliquin International Certification Program (PICP). This is the world’s most comprehensive certification program and is already being implemented by trainers in over 32 countries.

In life, our choices and actions bring about results or excuses. Do you (passively) place blame or (actively) assume responsibility?

The perfect repetition is the most basic of all strength training loading parameters. It’s how to achieve the progress sought, in the fastest, most efficient manner. Yet, most trainees fail to observe the basics. Sometimes it’s because they simply don’t know them. In other cases, they choose to ignore them. Achieving perfection is extremely challenging even when it is the sole pursuit. But when it’s not even a legitimate consideration, it’s practically impossible. Hence, it’s not surprising most trainees fail to achieve their goals. As sobering as that realization may be, there is a solution.

Your training results will make a quantum leap forward once you are able to understand and implement the specifics of perfect rep form. Executing the perfect repetition comes from within. Here are the x-y-z steps to completing the perfect rep. Notice I used x-y-z instead of a-b-c, a subtle (yet significant) alteration to emphasize “completion”.

Step 1: Clarity Of Purpose

You must be clear on the correct mechanics, in their entirety. This is no small task. Proper technique must be clear in your mind before you do the set. Mastering and comprehending proper technique requires experience, with the proper coaching and direction. I will provide that. But for now, without delving into painstaking detail, it’s important to become conscious of what’s necessary in order to pursue repetition perfection.

Step 2: Proper Start Position

Most people are already in an appropriate position before they start the rep. For example, to be correct in the front squat, the elbows must be up and in, with the bar slightly touching the throat. The torso is as upright as possible, with feet shoulder width apart and slightly externally rotated.

Starting with the elbows too low places enormous strain on the scapulae retractors and many other muscles of the shoulder girdle, while accentuating the load on the lumbar discs. Choosing to not utilize repetition perfection (out of ignorance or apathy) has the 2-fold negative effect of preventing physical progress and encouraging injury. It makes sense on every level to make a concerted effort to achieve perfect reps.

Step 3: Know Your Destination And Goals

The proper mind-set is critical. Arnold Schwarzenegger said, many moons ago, that you should always ask yourself “why you are doing this set?” Answering this basic, yet transcendent, question will give you the proper mind-set.  For example, you have 2 more sets of deadlifts. You’re tiring and losing focus. The body is attempting to control the mind. You must take control and force the mind to control the body. You want to go home. But the knowledge that executing perfect repetitions on the last 2 sets will pack on mass and strength (on the whole posterior chain) will fire you up to exert maximum effort to complete the workout.

Step 4: Feel The Muscles, Not The Weight

Instead of focusing on the external (the weight), focus on the internal (the muscles). Starting to apply this principle with single joint exercises such as incline curls is much easier than compound exercises such as squats. For example, with incline curls, pretend your mind is inside your elbow flexors. Focus on the force of the contraction during the concentric (positive) range, and the stretch of the eccentric (negative) range. Fire your antagonistic muscles (triceps) as you hit the bottom range. This will provide a greater stretch of your elbow flexors, and in fact augment the force of the next concentric rep.

This minor, but often overlooked, principle of focusing on the antagonistic muscles greatly enhances the strength and performance of the primary muscle group. It’s not enough to simply concern yourself with the biceps during incline curls. To glean the greatest benefit from the exercise, the triceps (antagonistic muscles) play a crucial role as well.

Step 5: Count Down The Reps

Begin every set with a definite goal for the number of reps–let’s say 5. As you begin your set, count, or have your partner count, the repetitions down: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Why? It keeps your mind focused on the task at hand, not on the outcome. When trainees count upwards, they tend to let their minds wander with anxiety on whether they will complete the set or not with thoughts such as “will I get stuck at 4 reps?”

Counting down won’t necessarily make you immediately stronger or capable of achieving significantly more reps. But over time, it will shift your outlook to one of possibility rather than limitation. This will ultimately translate into measurable improvement.

Step 6:
The First And Last Rep
Should Look The Same

In the effort to handle progressively heavier loads, there is a temptation to use the heaviest weight possible without regard for technique.  Classic technical errors are the use of excessive momentum to lift the weight, deviation from the correct movement pattern, and shortening of the range of motion.  Keep in mind that the actual training load—the one that determines results—is determined both by the weight you are using and how you are using it.

On a given set, do as many repetitions as you can within technical limit. When you reach momentary muscular failure within technical limit (or go outside of technical limit), you are done for the set. The use of cheating movements to get more repetitions is actually counterproductive. It teaches bad motor patterns and interferes with the recovery of the motor units (functional units of nerve and muscle) that were trained properly up until that point in the set.

You have gone outside technical limit if you:

• Use more momentum to lift the weight than is allowed by the concentric (positive) tempo prescription.
• Deviate from the prescribed movement pattern.
• Lose full range of motion.

Your concentric (positive) tempo may slow down as you fatigue.  This is not a problem, as long as your intent is to lift the weight at the prescribed speed. Remember what I impressed upon you about using your mind. That has everything to do with intent in this example. Increases in load should not come at the expense of technique.  To get the full benefit of the program, respect technical limit.

Final Word

Churning out perfect reps, set after set, is paradoxically simple and complex at the same. But it is the foundation of productive training. Pay attention to perfect form and you are on your way to optimal results.

For more information on Charles Poliquin and the PICP trainer certification, please visit: charlespoliquin.com.

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