25 Max

Have YOU heard of

'The Principle of Diminishing Returns'?

Probably not, its kind of on the hush hush in exercise and health club arena. I think it has been kept on the downlow for far too long and guess what?

We're letting it out today!

Actually, many of you may have been or currently are victimized by this principle...and all you're doing is wasting your time and energy.

The research and theory behind the principle of Diminshing Returns is that as the repetitions of your set go above 25, the additonal benefit goes down.

Yes, I'm telling you not to do more than 25 reps at one given time. If you are working on muscular endurance, tone, definition, or whatever you want to call it, you should use a range of 15-20 and can work up to 25, but no mas.

But Lance - I do 50 push-ups in a row after every workout, 100 crunches non-stop as soon as I wake up, 30 consecutive squats to fill out the backside of my jeans on weekend nights, or 40 is my favorite number and I like sets of 40.

Sorry Charlie, we're going to have to either make things more challenging or switch that specific exercise.

Options for progressing your exercises to help fatigue your muscles at 25 or less:

Push-ups:

• Elevate your feet
• Try 1 leg off the floor
• Put feet or hands on an unstable surface
• Add external resistance (weighted vest, weight plate on your back...if you're hardcore)
• Pause at the bottom
• Slow down your speed

Crunches or Abdominal Exercises:

• Add external resistance (medicine ball, dumbbell, body bar, cables, etc.)
• Add an unstable surface (Bosu Ball, stability ball)
• Change your angle (decline bench, Rocky Style)
• Change your arm position (cross the chest, behind the head, upper arms straight up by ear)
• Elevate your feet (90 degree bend at knee or straight up in the air)
• Pause at the top
• Slow down your speed

Any machine, cable, or dumbbell exercise:

• Go up to the next weight
• Pause at the end of the exercise (i.e. bicep curl - when the elbow is flexed and the weight is at the top)
• Slow down your speed

Squats or Lunges:

• Add external resistance (medicine ball, dumbbells, body bar, barbell, cables, tubing, etc.)
• Add an unstable surface to one or more of your feet (Bosu Ball, wobble board, Dyna Disc)
• Pause at the bottom
• Slow down your speed

*Certain sports and activities may require an individual to perform repetitive movements more than 25 times, warranting a similar training style (i.e. rowing).