The Here-and-Now Focus for Your Next Workout

During your next strength training workout, I encourage you to adopt the following here-and-now focus: “Fail with perfect form.”

As you move into your 8th and 9th rep of the set and your muscles are starting to burn, your breathing is becoming labored, and your discomfort crescendos, adopt the internal self-talk: “I’m trying to fail with perfect form.”

Instead of thinking about getting one more rep (by any means possible!), remind yourself repeatedly, “I want to fail… I want to get stuck… I want to get to the point where I can’t move the weight anymore while maintaining perfect form.”

Don’t squirm; don’t incorporate momentum; don’t set the weight down for a quick sec. 

Fail with perfect form.  THIS is the objective.  This is the real stimulus.