Tip #3: Get Max Results from Your Exercise Routines
Here’s the full transcript:
Hey guys! It’s Jessica Bowser Nelson and it’s time for Tip #3 on how to maximize your results during your exercise routines.
If you missed Tip #1 and Tip #2 then make sure you go back and watch them. Number one was all about LANGUAGE. Number two was all about POWER and number three is going to be all about FOCUS.
So, I love this quote. It says:
“What you focus on, you improve upon.”
That’s going to be true. Think about it…when you’re focused on your nutrition, you’re either writing things down or measuring or you’re focused on eating 80% healthy and 20% fun so you’ve got to evaluate each decision and where does it fall? Have I treated myself a little bit too much this week? Then I have to focus on eating healthier.
Or, if you’re focusing on your water intake…what are you doing? You’re writing down how much you’re getting in each day. And when you do, when you FOCUS on it, you IMPROVE upon it. The same is going to be true in your workout. What I do is I focus on the muscle I’m using. Now I’m not an expert. I’m not a trainer. I’m not a nutritionist. I’m a normal girl that found out how I can get the best results for me and that’s what I’m sharing with you today.
Now I’m focusing on the muscle that I’m using vs letting my mind wander in my exercise routines. Which sometimes it wanders. Ha! Sometimes I’m just thinking about Criminal Minds and I’m wondering if all of those facts Reid says are actually true. Other times though, when I want to maximize my results and really take advantage of my workout, I focus on the muscle I’m using.
2 Examples to Help Your Exercise Routines
Now I want you to try two things with me right now just as an example of how this is going to be more effective.
1. First off, I want you to do a curl.
Just do a curl.
No weights obviously as you’re just watching this video and don’t have weights right now. My question is, what did you just do? Did you just do this (curling nonchalantly with no effort)…oh, I’m curling…Now what if I said, do a curl holding a fake 25 pound weight. If you focus on your bicep and SQUEEZE, you could squeeze so hard, your muscles WILL fatigue. You will shake even.
As you can see, I’m literally building my muscle without holding any weight because I’m USING the muscle and FOCUSED on it versus just throwing the curl up there or going off momentum. Now, I might only be holding a 5 pound weight when I’m doing a workout that requires weights (which I rarely do), but if I WAS, I’m going to squeeze it as if it weighs so much more.
2. Now let’s say you’re doing a move where you need to utilize your core and you might be thinking…I don’t have a core YET so how can I USE my core if I don’t have any abdominal muscles?
Well, this is the second exercise I want you to do right now. I’m coming up to you and I’m about to punch you in your stomach. Or, you’re on the soccer field and the ball is coming your way and it’s coming STRAIGHT for your stomach. What do you do? Right now? Some big dude’s coming up about to punch you in the gut, what do you do?
You tighten it. Whether you think you have abs or not, the second you know something’s about to hit your stomach HARD, you’re going to tighten it. THAT’S using your core. So when I’m doing any kind of core work or any type of oblique move, I’m going to be concentrated on tightening my obliques.
So you want to FOCUS on the muscle being used.
And if you’re in the middle of a move and you’re fatigued…you’ve been squeezing and you’ve got nothing left..you’re doing a lunge and your legs are SHOT..well, I’m going to transfer the focus to a different muscle that might be utilized in the same movement so that I can keep going. So, I’m still focused. I’m just going to transfer the focus to a different muscle once that initial muscle burns out.
So for example, in a lunge, typically I’m focused on my leg/thigh. But the second that fatigues, I’m going to transfer the focus to my opposite booty. I’m going to tighten THAT and that’s going to help me keep going a little bit longer.
Focus is the KEY.
Whether it’s in your nutrition, your life goals, your water intake, or your muscle movement in your workout, focus on what you want to improve upon, and YOU WILL!
P.S. I hope that was helpful. Shoot me a message at jessica@jessicabowsernelson.com if you need help getting started on your health and fitness journey. It’s what I do and I would love to see how I could help you. Let me know which of my 3 tips were your favorite (below) or if you have something additional to add that you do in your exercise routines to help you maximize your results.
See you guys later!
Digging Deeper,
Jessica Bowser Nelson
