One of the basic fundamental building blocks of a workout routine is the rep. If you are like many people, you probably have never really taken the time to analyze your rep routine and how it impacts your workout. You likely don’t give reps much thought at all, except to think about getting them done as quickly as possible.
Routines and Reps
People tend to get into habits and patterns pretty easily. Once you get comfortable with your workout, you will probably quickly fall into a natural rhythm, doing all of your reps at the same speed and at the same intervals. While this may seem like a good thing—it seems very efficient to just move right along and stay in the flow—there can actually be some downsides that could be negatively impacting the results of your workout.
Downsides of Rep Rhythm
As with many other aspects of your workout, settling into too comfortable of a routine quickly transitions into being stuck in a rut. This is one way to hit a plateau—soon your muscles become too accustomed to the routine and you’ll get less benefit from your efforts.
Breaking the Rut
You probably already know the reasons for using different quantity of reps: low reps are usually preferred for building bulk, while high reps are more for endurance and toning. Just as experts often recommend changing up other aspects of your workout, it’s a good idea to use an assortment of different rep speeds in your routine. Speeding up your reps in a quick burst of movement can help build strength (although obviously this approach can only be sustained for a limited time per session). Slower reps help build muscle stamina.
Generally, you would want to develop a plan in which you alternate between slow and fast reps, depending on your current strengths and your workout goals. This approach of adjusting rep speed is sometimes referred to as tempo training or rep variation training.
Of course in order to get the most out of each of your reps, you need the right fitness equipment. You can find all of the home fitness equipment you need for your Phoenix home at Fitness 4 Home Superstore.
