I first heard about this "rule" years back from my dad of all people. He is a very avid reader and enjoys self motivation books, how and why books and even a little history. He had read a book (I don't remember what the name was or who it was by, maybe I should have applied this to that so I could have remembered) that had touched on this and that how doing the 10,000 reps would ingrain the technique you were trying to achieve into a automatic action such as blinking your eyes, walking, riding a bike, brushing your hair, putting on your pants or wiping your ass. We as people complete the same motions everyday day that just become common place anymore. No thinking or anything with said movement it just becomes automatic. My dad said why cant you do that with your training? Fix problems you having and make them become flawless movements....Damn pops your a genius....

I have been doing this for a few years now. More in the off season than anything. I have been doing it myself keeping up with rep after rep after rep. Anyone close to me will tell you I am a spred sheet crazy person. I have spred sheet on all my cars for oil changes, wiper replacements, waxing, tire replacement, when I air the tires, brakes and whatever else with the mileage and date done as well. I have OCD!

I have a sheet for me and my team on this. I have every persons name, weight, age, starting lift numbers, reps done for each rep each month, projections, if their being bad or good, you get the gist. I know its terrible but I like to see numbers. Why? Numbers don't lie and neither does results.

During the off season I put our Team through a gambit of exercises to improve weaknesses and also focus on the primary three - squat, bench, deadlift. We practice form countless times during these 4 to 6 to 8 weeks. I call everyone's weight to use. This is not scientific. I have each individual use weight I think they can move for x amount of times each week. Sometimes adjustments need to be done but Im usually close with everyone.

I'm very stringent about the process. If your set of 3 or 10 or whatever is not correct you will be called out on it and those do not count and will be done over. I make everyone accountable. I don't want cheerleaders, I want support and help to get corrections made. We video lifts as well so that lifter can see for themselves what they are doing wrong. We tinker with things for each lifter that may work well for them. Once these things seem to be figured out we keep plugging away on the reps. The form. The technique. Over and over again.

For me, the reps of 10,000 is a personal standard. Whether it's a technique, a skill, shooting free throws, boxing, or even playing poker, I have come to consider 10,000 to be the threshold separating the kindas from the committed. It just boils down to you, as an individual deciding who you are, what your wanting and what is important.

Repetitions are important but lets make this part completely understood....the proper reps are the most important. This strategy means nothing if your not being committed and doing the proper movement over and over again. If your not committed then you are doing the improper movement over and over again and just took many steps backwards in your mission and wasted valuable time.

Learning how to improve any skill new or old takes focus. We must teach our brain and body this skill over and over again properly. You can not give up your efforts and become content in your journey. If you do then average is what you will be if average is all you care to be. I for one don't want to be average and neither does my Team.

This all may be too much or overboard or whatever you want to call it. I have had time now and years to practice not only on myself but on many lifters that walk through my gym the 10,000 rule my father presented to me many years back. This is not for everyone. This may be stupid to you. You may not need that many reps because you are one of the few that is a natural or something. This is what we do. This is what works for us to become better and put in hours, days, weeks, months and years under the bar to give us experience that works for us.

If it’s really important, treat it like it deserves to be a permanent part of you! Don’t just go half ass. Whatever your training philosophy is work hard in doing it everyday. Give all that you got and walk away knowing you just got better today….