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Can you tell me why you should stop counting reps?
I’m assuming you can count as high as you’d like to go.
Of course I can.
Some people make the mistake of basing fitness on the number of reps they are able to do.
Unfortunately, that makes them more likely to over-do the moves and get repetitive stress
injuries.
I thought that’s what carpal tunnel syndrome was.
That’s when you overuse your hands typing. You can get repetitive stress injuries lifting
weights and doing sit ups, and the damage is worse when you’re adding stress to it
in the form of weights.
I mix up my routine, so I don’t think that’s a problem.
Another mistake people do is focus on the count instead of the motion. They do a hundred
sit-ups incorrectly in an effort to do more of them.
Then they don’t get the results they want.
If you focus on counting reps, you’re less likely to pay attention to things like safety.
How is a gym dangerous?
You’ll get a pretty strong impression of the danger if you drop a twenty pound weight
on your toe.
I heard other people say that they don’t need to count reps to get in shape.
If you focus on the numbers, you ignore your body. You can tell when you’re done when
your muscles are burning, regardless of how many repetitions you’ve done.
That might be a violation of your workout program’s rules.
You should always stop when your body is in pain, regardless of the program’s rules.
Rule number one, first do no harm.
That’s part of the doctor’s oath.
If your body has started hurting, finishing a series of reps will worsen any injury you
have. If the reps matter more than your body’s signals, you risk a trip to the doctor or
physical therapist.
Or a long time off from your workout routine.
So listen to your body, not the countdown in your head.