In my quest for some strength building inspiration I Googled “muscle building quotes” and stumbled upon this gem from Schwarzenegger, who isn’t the best mentor for ectomorphic folk, but the quote is great nevertheless:
“The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens.”
As I’ll write about in the future, I don’t believe in training to failure, but this idea still holds true. Often it’s too easy to give up at least 3-4 reps before reaching that point of your maximum threshold for pain, and it’s that weakness we need to work on.
- “Just one more.” Repeat this sentence over and over in your mind as you complete each rep, or even say it aloud if you’re alone or not worried about looking somewhat insane. This is just another example of easing the pressure and works wonders to get more mileage from your input.
- Practice good technique. When I initially started doing pull ups on a regular basis I struggled with working through the pain and decided it couldn’t be because of my scrawny arms by their lonesome. I learned some proper pull up techniques and that made more effective use of the small amount of strength I had – simple things like crossing my legs in an X shape stopped them from flailing around and expending effort in areas like balance and grip.
- Focus on the after. Pushing yourself is one of the best feels you can experience. When you’ve completed a set and deep down you know you absolutely crushed it and truly took your ability to a new level you feel like nothing can stand in your way. It reaffirms that you’re making progress and is one heck of a motivator. Focus on this feeling as you complete each rep – picture that moment of success and don’t let go of it.
While of course sustained practice over a long period of time will have the biggest impact on the ability to work through pain, these three tactics are a great starting point for beginners.
