Don’t stop at the Top
For maximum feel and effect when performing an exercise like push-ups, dumbell curls or squats, try not fully resting (and in the case of squats locking out ) at the top of each movement.
This will place the muscles being worked under greater tension, thereby increasing your training effect and enable you to further connect with that particular body-part. In this case less is more because you don’t need to perform as many repetitions and workout for as long. Short, sharp and intense workouts are the key to productive sessions when adopting this training strategy. These are also known as partial repetitions but remember, you don’t want to limit your range too much to the point where you aren’t establishing a ‘muscle pump’ ie., that great localized burning feeling in the muscle.

Examples of exercises you can perform my ’Don’t stop at the Top’ techniques include:

1. The leg press machine and the freestanding squat - not fully extending the legs, thereby keeping the thigh/quad muscles contracted at all times.
2. Dumbell flat bench fly’s - By not touching the dumbells at the top of the movement you keep your pecks constantly flexed! When flying the weights inwards keep the dumbells a good 3 inches apart before flying the dumbells back out again.
3. Lat pulldowns - Extending the arms fully at the top of this exercise can not only cause serious rotater cuff injuries, but will diminish the objective of attempting to feel and sculpt your ‘lats’. These are the muscles that give you that elegant V-taper.
4. There are numerous exercises and routines you can use my D.S.A.T.T. technique including calisthenics, power plyometric drills and Powerpose. Drop me your list of exercises!

Enjoy these workout tips and let me know how you go with it!

Gennaro

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