A major part to one’s fitness routine that I think commonly gets overlooked is muscle mind connection. Muscle mind connection happens more in the small accessory movements, rather than a more complex movement like the back squat. All too often when preforming these smaller movements, we tend to get caught up talking to our friends, find ourselves rushing out the door, or not paying attention to what we are doing because we are too tired from the WOD that eventually, our form begins to be compromised.
Movements like banded pull aparts, curls, and dumbbell rows are all very beneficial to your training routine. This is if they are done properly, if the movements are done poorly, they can quickly loose their benefits. For example, that “one guy” we all know at the gym who chooses to see how much weight he can watch himself curl in the mirror, swaying his whole body around to get that dumbbell up, instead of focusing on form and the benefits the movement could be providing him if done right.
These accessory movements, or “finishers” as we commonly call them, play a huge role not only in your stability and general strength, but in your body’s aesthetic – and who doesn’t want to look good!
So next time you see a finisher in your workout, take a second to think about what body part that movement is working and consciously think about that as you are performing the reps. Slow and controlled, with good contractions at the peak of the movement are key – don’t be afraid to lighten your load!
Oh! Talk to a coach to add Open Gym to your membership so you can get all the extra credit and finishers programmed into Zen Planner each day done! Extra gains!