Repetitions are an important part of every weight lifting exercise. Don’t be surprised if I tell you that the reason why you don’t see results is because of improper repetitions.
First and foremost, a good repetition requires solid positioning form. When the body is firmly and properly established for the exercise, the target muscles will do the entire exercise isolating the supporting muscles or the muscles nearby. Without a firm initial body position, the supporting muscles will do most of the work, and worse, struggle to maintain firm body posture and not giving enough accents to the workout itself.
Second, feel the muscle. When doing an exercise concentrate on the muscle movement. Visualize yourself inside the muscle and feel its blood flow and motion.
Third, complete a full muscle movement. Do the entire repetition from start to finish. Don’t stop half-way.
Forth, make identical repetitions. Meaning don’t change the body position on every set; or don’t change the movements. Once the muscle is “informed” of a particular repetition, it tends to work on it; not trying to adapt on something different then before.
And fifth, have a planed repetition set. 4 to 6 repetitions per set leads to strength, 6 to 10 leads to muscle mass, 10 repetitions and above lead to muscular endurance. So, make your own choice.
Bear in mind that improper repetition can easily lead to serious injuries, unpredictable muscle “lock” and worse – unwanted accidents of barbell and dumbbell slips.