In 
the grand scheme of developing the perfect chest, abs, legs or butt and all the MACRO stuff we’ve been taught it takes to do that – the nutrition, the workouts, the rest and recovery and even the overall mind-set - there is one quantum component that is often underestimated or overlooked.
This quantum component is the smallest part of something larger and that larger component along with other larger components makes up an even larger part of your overall effort.
The quality of this simple micro component when linked together with other micro components of its kind may have the single most profound impact on your ability to create the physique you want.
On the other side of the coin, if underestimated or neglected, which it often is, it can easily sabotage your efforts.
THE SMALLEST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE
So- What is this incredibly powerful quantum piece of the muscle building puzzle?
It’s the single stand alone “muscle contraction” that takes place during any given repetition of any given set of any given workout.
Every 
time you exercise you perform - a number of these repetitions – each one when linked together makes up a single set, and it’s the accumulation of those sets that ultimately become your workout.
More so than the frequency or duration of your workouts the quality of your physique will be determined in large part by the quality of those workouts. The quality of each workout will depend on the quality of each set and the quality of each set will depend on… you guessed it, the quality of each and every repetition.
Novice lifters and athletes often ask “how many sets should I do for my arms or legs or back?”
When what they should be asking is – “How do I maximize the quality of each and every REP?”
Repetition is defined as “The recurrence of an action or event.”
During your workout what is that action or event? Is it the lifting of the weight, the pushing or pulling of a cable, dumbbell or barbell? Is that the event?
Or are those things a means to an end – the tactics and tools that hopefully lead to the action needed to grow and develop?
What does lifting the weight actually do? It forces the muscle to contract - and we know that the more weight, load or resistance we use the more muscle fibers we recruit and deeper the contraction – right?
We also know that the deeper the contraction the greater the chain of events, on the cellular level that leads to muscular growth.
THE EVENT
So it could be said that the actual event or action that we need to experience in the gym in order to facilitate growth is deep almost mind numbing muscle contraction – on a repeated basis – until the muscle fails or can’t contract any longer without a period of recovery.
What you need to understand is that the MIND not just the weight or resistance plays a crucial role in the depth of each muscle contraction – during every single repetition.
So the question is – are you fully engaging your mind during those all too important single contractions or repetitions during the workout? Or is it more important that you finish a specific number of reps in order to complete the set without any real focus on the quality of those reps?
Let me ask you this personal question. If an admiring fan where to ask you to make a muscle so they could feel it (guys…stay focused) – would you just bend your arm in a half ass effort to contract your bicep – or would you give it a good hard conscious squeeze.
If you have any pride – you’d squeeze the hell out of that arm.
And yet while in the gym we tend to count on whatever weight we’re lifting to do the contracting for us instead of adding to the depth of that contraction with the unlimited power of your focused mind.
THE BOTTOM LINE (well almost)
You don't develop a winning physique simply by throwing around heavy weights or blasting out 6 or 7 reps with sloppy form and no real conscious mental effort or focus.
The greatest muscle building supplement NOT on the market today are the chemical peptides created by your own mind when you add FOCUS and EMOTION into every repetition of every set.
If you want more return on your workout investment? It’s time to put more in – starting with the smallest component – the single repetition, repeated - again and again and again.
And as an added bonus investing in the power of focused undistracted intensity during each rep, set and workout something else will develop along the way… your gray matter will start to get huge.
I’ll see you in the winner’s circle
Tom
Next month: I’ll talk about how you can learn release massive amounts of natural growth producing chemicals into your muscles simply by improving your focus and creating the emotional state needed to move mountains during your workouts.
TOM TERWILLIGER, Inspires Conscious Strength in Mind, Body and Will
“All Achievement is based first on the strength of our will."
Known as “The Achievement Mentor” Tom Terwilliger is a former National Body Building Champion, IFBB Pro, the author of the acclaimed #1 bestseller, 7 Rules of Achievement and is a leading authority on the science of achievement visit Tom at, www.TomTerwilliger.com on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/tomterwilligernow
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