My objective as a personal trainer is to help my clients achieve their fitness and health goals as efficiently as possible. 

But in order for this to happen, it can't just be all me.  The client has to step up to the plate as well.
 
When talking about maximizing a client's strength training routine, the only way this can happen is if the client pushes THEMSELVES in addition to my guidance and motivation. 

So if I'm having a client do an exercise, there's only so much I can control.  All I can do is make sure their form is correct and encourage them to do their best. 

The rest is up to the client. 

And what I mean is, a client must make sure they work their muscles as intensely as possible for each exercise they do.  They should do each exercise until they can no longer do it or until their muscles can no longer support the movement.

This is the difference between getting good results and GREAT results with your strength training routine.

If you make the mistake of immediately stopping an exercise once you start to "feel the burn", you're NOT gonna get the full benefit. 

This burn is the lactic acid building up inside your muscles and is only the INITIAL sign that your muscles are actually beginning to work hard.  There's plenty of room for improvement. 

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For example, if you do 20 push-ups but don't start to feel a burn until around the 16th repetition, you're not working your muscles as hard as you can.  I guarantee if you really pushed yourself, you could do 30. 

Again, the goal is to do each exercise to failure - not to when you JUST feel your muscles.

I train a client by the name of Bonnie who has got this principle down pat...so much so - she's training me!

She'll say "Jim, I DIDN'T feel my muscles the day after...can we make the routine harder?" or "Jim, I'm NOT feeling my muscles on this one...I can do more."

This is mind-blowing to me because she's already doing exercises I consider to be VERY HARD, yet she still is not afraid to let me know she can do something even more challenging. 

This type of communication is crucial to one's success and is the reason why Bonnie and many of my past and present clients (You know who you are) will get the body they want.  They epitomize what hard work can do for you.

If your trainer is having you do an exercise you feel is too easy...Speak Up.  And no, you're not being out-of-line when you do so. 

Again, he or she is NOT a mind-reader.  YOU are primarily in control.  All they can do is motivate and guide you, but it's up to you to unlock your full-potential. 

Now if you currently don't have a trainer - that's perfectly fine. 

I've got an awesome course I'll soon be coming out with called "The In-Home Personal Trainer" that will show you in pain-staking detail what I just discussed here plus MUCH MORE.  It's very close to being done, so please stay tuned!

Have a great day.

Yours in Total Fitness and Maximum Success,

Jim Coughlin