When you sit down on a weight bench or climb onto one of the resistance machines in the gym, do you start cranking out your reps immediately or do you take time to really focus and set yourself up for success?

One of the disciplines that I try to reinforce in each of my clients is the principle of “Get Ready. Get Set. GO!”

This has come from watching (mostly) guys plop down on a bench, 50# dumbbells in hand, lever them up awkwardly and then start banging out their reps. No care if the spine is straight… No sense that the feet are pulled back and imbalanced… No awareness that the pelvis is mis-aligned… No clue that the shoulder ligaments are being strained.

Do This:

Take a few extra moments to “Get Ready”… which means adjusting the seat level, securing the bar, loading the right amount of resistance. Then, “Get Set”… aligning your spine (including your neck!), relaxing your shoulders, tightening your core, setting your base of support, ensuring that your body position is symmetrical.

Then… GO!

That’s what makes it count. Safe. Effective. Efficient.

Doug