Stop Cheating Your Muscles

There is one mistake I see constantly in gyms. It seems that for every 10 pounds someone adds to a particular exercise they reduce the movement's range of motion-typically about 10 percent.

In order to feel as though they are getting stronger, people tend to add weight to a particular exercise before the muscles are ready for the challenge. The squat is a perfect example. Instead of lowering their bodies until their thighs are parallel to the floor, they will stop a few inches short. So, they provide themselves a false sense of progress while reducing the work that their muscles have to perform from start to finish.

There's an even bigger problem with this scenario. Their muscles cannot reach their full potential. That's because there will always be a weak link in the part of the movement they are skipping.

Your best approach is to use a complete range of motion, even if it means lifting a lighter load. You may have to swallow your pride or lift without your buddies looking on. But think about it: If you have to use less weight, it's because you're working your muscles through a range of motion in which they are weakest. And, as we have already established, eliminating your weak spots is the key to building your new body in a new way.

Dr. Crew's Mind-Body Fitness and Strength Studio is available for private and excellently supervised fitness sessions. Call Dr. Crew at 880-2531 for information/appointments.