Quote:
Originally Posted by ///d
Anyone have tips on how to get someone consistent with their reps, count, and breathing? The guy I work out with and have been trying to "teach", while he is still learning, really struggles with consistency. He is a pretty small dude, he has been working out for a while but has never progressed because, like so many others, didn't understand anything about muscle groups, never pushed himself, so he wasn't meeting any goals. So I came in, we started a basic bulking routine, and he has been progressing, but slowly and I think that's because he can't find consistency. He either tries focusing on breathing and his form goes to shit, next set focuses on form and ends up holding his breath. He loses count, pauses between reps to regain his focus and reset his form... I've been trying to get him into that "muscle memory" on form and breathing but he really struggles with multiple things at once.
Like I stated he is still learning, but we have been steadily working this same type of routine since October with small changes in exercises to not plateau, but I have to keep reminding him to breathe, I have to keep count for him, tell him to slow down or speed up, remind him about proper form, etc. It's frustrating.
|
First thing is first, trying to bulk while still not being consistent with form and breathing is asking for an injury to occur. Light weight is where these two things are developed. It's hard to concentrate on form and breathing if you can barely handle the weight you are attempting to move. I'd recommend changing gears to more of a cutting or maintenance phase where reps are more high until form and breathing have been ironed out.
It is also a common misunderstanding that lifting heavy weights equates to bulking. Bulking is more of a mind set and having more calories in then out. As long as that is happening you will still "bulk". You can still bulk with high reps as long as mind to muscle connection is present. The mind to muscle connection that I am referring to will not fully be apparent until breathing and form consistencies have been remediated. It is essentially having full control over the muscle group throughout the range of motion and ensuring that you are working all necessary parts (this is where form is huge).
In reference to counting, I've never been big on counting reps. I believe Arnold said "I only start counting when it starts hurting". That is essentially how I lift. Having set rep ranges often leads to laziness to an extent as you are working towards a number. True mental fortitude comes from being able to last past the difficult points.
I can go on and on, but short read would be - lower the weights, increase reps, focus on the squeeze, and move slowly.