Do Fewer Things Better.

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly trainees want to do new exercises, particularly when they haven’t mastered the basics.  I suppose it’s endemic to our culture of “more is better” that a routine is judged on how many exercises are done.  For example, a good routine for say, chest might be a few sets of incline press, a set or two of decline presses, and some cable crossovers for good measure.

I say:  Forget how many exercises are done.  Focus on doing the basic exercises better.  Then, once you’re really cooking on the basics, add in exercises one at a time, based on your goals.

Is this tedious?  I suppose it can be.  But it’s necessary.  Lifting a weight safely and effectively involves more than just getting it from point A to point B.  The biceps curl isn’t just about mindlessly bringing the dumbbell up to your shoulders and letting it fall back down.  Tighten your abs.  Keep your shoulders in position.  Maintain an athletic stance.  Lower the weight under control, smoothly. Don’t just let it bully you down, fight it.

Seems simple, doesn’t it?  But simple doesn’t mean easy, or that it’s even done.  All too often I’ll see someone struggling through an advanced exercise like a clean and press, when it’s woefully apparent that they wouldn’t even be able to deadlift that same weight, because they don’t understand the concept of neutral spine (aka, “keeping your back slightly arched”).  Or someone who’s looking to lose a few pounds being coached through an agility drill.  Agility?  I thought you were trying to lose a couple of pounds, not make the varsity tennis team.

Work on the basics first.  Get really solid on the fundamentals of lifting a weight.  Master an exercise or two, then add new ones.  You’ll get much more out of them in the long run.