LITTLE ROCK — Attention to detail can transform an average exercise routine into a sweat-pouring, muscle quivering challenge.
Simple adjustments like foot position, posture and hand placement can truly be the difference you need to take your program to the next level. This week, I'll present some easy but powerful adjustments along with an exercise that typifies how important attention to detail can be.
Whether you've been exercising regularly for five weeks or five years, your workout's effectiveness is directly tied to the effort you put forth. This is true for the planning and the execution of each workout you perform.
It's easy to stroll in on a Monday afternoon and knock out a few sets on basic machines without thinking much of it. Of course, the results you derive from this type of program will be in direct proportion to your efforts. I would expect belowaverage gains because of the lack of preparation and intensity.
The point is to pay attention to the details. Each exercise in your program should have a specific purpose. Whether it's rehabilitation, mass building or weight loss, every exercise needs to be performed with a goal in mind. Sit down and plan the exercises you intend to do, and why you want to do them. Once you complete this step, your exercise plan should look pretty solid - on paper. The trick is to translate what you've planned into sustained effort during each and every repetition.
An easy way to ramp up your intensity is to purposefully make each exercise difficult while maintaining the integrity of the movement pattern. This can be done a number of ways, but slowing down each repetition is a great way to start.
Most people move too quickly through the range of motion during strength training, which detracts from the effectiveness of the exercise. Slowing down will force you to use a lighter weight and control the movement more closely. As a result, your muscles will work harder than they would have otherwise.
Slight positional adjustments can also be made to raise the intensity of traditional strengthtraining movements. This week's exercise, for example, requires an adjustment of no more than a couple of inches. However, this tiny change makes the Offset Dumbbell Curl quite a challenge.
1.
Grasp a pair of medium weight dumbbells and sit on an upright bench with your arms fully extended to the sides of your body.
2.
Position your palm on the "outside" of each dumbbell handle rather than in the center as you normally would. In other words, move your hand to the extreme right side of the dumbbell handle with your palms facing upward.
3.
Perform the dumbbell curl by flexing both elbows with both palms facing up.
4.
Once your hands reach chest level, slowly lower the weights to the starting position.
5.
Continue performing this movement for two or three sets of 12 repetitions.
The unique position of your hands creates an imbalance with the dumbbell's weight against your biceps. As a result, your biceps must contract harder to keep your forearms from twisting inward, or pronating.
I think you'll agree that it doesn't take much of an adjustment to make a seemingly innocuous exercise into a monster.
Former Arkansan Matt Parrott owns H-P Fitness LLC in Kansas City, Mo. He has a doctorate in education (sport studies), a master's in kinesiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.
ActiveStyle, Pages 27 on 08/31/2009