One Way You Could Make Your Next Workout Better: Eliminating Momentum

Instead of trying to do as many reps as possible (generally a good thing), or trying to perform one more rep than your last workout to achieve improvement (also a good thing), focus solely on eliminating momentum during the transition or turnaround of each rep. For example, as you lower the weight on the chest press, make your last two inches of range of motion as slow as possible, and as you change directions and start pushing the weight out, make your first two inches of lifting as slow as possible.

Transitioning slowly does three things:

1. Minimizes momentum so that more motor units and muscle fibers are recruited (this is the foundation of better results).
2. Makes the exercise safer because joints and connective tissue are exposed to less force.
3. Makes the exercise harder, so, you are less likely to “improve” and perform more reps. But of course, your muscles can’t count, and we don’t actually get credit for performing another rep.

In your next workout: One set at a time, one rep at a time, obsess completely with eliminating momentum during the transition of each rep (and accept the fact that you might not perform as many reps).