Photo by: orvaratli
Whether it is a crazy heavy set with just a few repetitions or a personal record of 500 body-weight squats, losing count is not an option. When training, for real ultimate power, you have to know how to count under pressure. Hone your counting ability with these ninja counting tricks and never lose count again.
Count Backwards: Real ninjas don’t count up, they count down. If you learn only one counting trick today, this is the one you need to know. When going for 20 pull-ups, counting up from 1 to 20 can be demoralizing. At the beginning, 20 seems so far away and by fifteen you feel like you have already gone too far. By counting down, the big numbers drop while you are still fresh. At the end of your set, you can tell yourself, “3 more to go, any one can crank out three lousy pull-ups. You call yourself a ninja. If you can’t get three pull-ups, right now, you are out of the clan and will be cast out of the forest. With no friends and no family, how long do you think you will survive as a lone killer?”
Break It Up: Breaking up a large count on a set with a massive number of repetitions keeps your head in the game. A set of 300 sit-ups becomes more manageable, when you count down from 100, then count down twice from 50, and finish off by counting down 4 times from 25. Remembering that you are on repetition number 137, is harder than knowing that at the end of your current count, you will only have 150 more to go. Meanwhile, just like in tip #1, going from a large number, like one hundred, down to a smaller number, like 25, helps you win the mental battle and keeps you cranking out the reps.
Cadence: Sound off 1 through 9 and finish the cadence by emphasizing 10, then 1 through 9, 20, 1 through 9, 30…up to 100. By focusing your count on 1 through 9, you will not be overwhelmed by the cumulative number of repetitions, rather, you will focus on a manageable set of ten.
Think Of Something Else: If you don’t have to count, because you are on the clock or someone else is counting for you, then you will want to distract yourself. Otherwise, you will waste mental energy focusing on how much time is left or how many more repetitions you have to accomplish. To keep your mind strong, while continuing to work with amazing ninja like strength and speed, mentally play the alphabet game. Pick a subject – ninja gear is a good one. As you continue to exercise, for each letter in the alphabet, name a piece of ninja gear: A is for Ashiko, B is for Bokken, C is Chigiriki, D is for Darts… While your mind is distracted, your body will be free to perform amazing feats of strength and endurance.
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For related STRETCH EXERCISE EAT posts SEE:
AMAZING PERFORMANCE: 325 lbs and Bringing It
EXERCISE: How to Set Goals to Meet Your Fitness and Performance Objectives
STRETCH EXERCISE EAT 