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Tips and Benefits of the Muscular Endurance and Conditioning Starter Program 1

This is an excerpt from Man's Guide to Muscle and Strength, A by Stephen Cabral.

Top 10 Tips and Benefits of the Muscular Endurance
and Conditioning Starter Program 1:

  1. For the first week complete one fewer set than specified (do two sets instead of three for each exercise).
  2. Do not take any set to failure during the first week because we want to do an unloading week when starting a new program.
  3. Use a full range of motion with each movement, but do not lose tension on the worked muscle group at any time during each rep.
  4. Take the first week to find the right cable adjustments, squatting depths, and so on and then write them on your program card.
  5. Focus on breathing and working on inhaling as you move with the resistance and exhaling while fighting or moving the weight (lifting).
  6. Do not rest between exercises. You should take less than 20 seconds to transition from one movement to the next if you keep all your equipment for the following exercises near you.
  7. Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect (and keeps you injury free), so focus on form with every rep.
  8. Realize that you may seem out of shape during the first workout but recognize that your cardiovascular system will improve right along with your muscles. Remember, we're going to be working a different energy system than you may have been training in before, so it will need to be strengthened as well.
  9. You'll see that we're doing many unilateral exercises that involve using just one side of your body at a time. We do this to train more of the core and nervous system as well as to allow your less dominant side to catch up and become stronger. The benefit is that you will have more strength and power in the long run!
  10. Of course, if you ever experience any joint pain or if something doesn't feel right, you should always stop the set immediately. If you try it again with lighter resistance and still feel pain, you should discontinue that movement and see a doctor.

Read more from A Man's Guide to Muscle and Strength By Stephen Cabral.

More Excerpts From Man's Guide to Muscle and Strength