Earlier, when I would be working out by myself, I would generally go about completing an exercise set back-to-back with a break in between sets. As in, if I am doing crunches and my goal is 50, I would do one set of 15 reps take a 1 minute break, do 15 more- break- 15 more. 

The problem with this was, I have NEVER ended up finishing those last 15 reps. Let alone squeeze an extra 5!  It is one of those things I have discounted heavily all these years thinking I have bad stamina and its probably OK if I cheat on the last 6 reps.  BAD.

Working out with a trainer has made me realize that my stamina is actually pretty darn good and its actually quiet possible to get through 50 reps of any exercise. Shocker, huh!

The magic lies in the pattern. 

So here is what happened...my trainer's pattern is to make me do 15 reps of one exercise then move to 15 of another and then 15 of another instead of hamming out one exercise all at once.

e.g. I will do 15 push-ups followed by 15 over head press and then 15 dead lifts. Repeat twice.

The magic in doing this is:

1) The targeted muscles don't get overly sore from back to back reps and and I don't give up the last 10

2) The monotony of reps is gone

3) You focus better on form because you are only doing 15 at a time

4) No need for long 1 minute breaks.

I think the biggest benefit is to have gauged my actual stamina. It felt great to learn that I could follow through sets without dying in between and it is fabulous how much I am able to do in one hour. I take this lesson as a value added benefit of luxuriating on a trainer.

Until later

XO