Research in sports psychology shows that body movements become habitual after about 60 repetitions done over the course of 21 days.
This means that after this 21-day period the movement pattern will feel natural and will be executed the same way (unless you make conscious effort to do otherwise). What does this mean for us?
Well, in the context of training, such as properly stabilizing your torso in a lift, you need a workout with a total of 60 consciously stabilizing reps to set yourself up for a permanent shift.
For a beginner, this could mean doing only 2 exercises, with 3 sets of 10 reps (3×10) for each exercise.
Now, the key is to do it often enough (five days per week) to make it second nature within a month.
So if your goal is to improve core activation, keep those upper traps from getting fired up, or maintain a stable torso, a very simple solution would be to perform a daily stint of two exercises at 3×10 on your non-workout days to correct your movement pattern and make it second nature.
Throw in one or two relevant stretches and/or releases and you are very well on your way to making a lasting shift.
Now, consider a non-athletic activity, such as picking up a sock off the floor or sitting for another one-hour stint of work on a computer.
Even though we know getting up every 15 minutes is what we should be doing, sometimes we are not at liberty to do that.
Therefore, implementing good posture for those long periods in the chair or performing household tasks with a neutral spine may help to end headaches and help our backs heal. In such cases making a habit permanent means staying focused on 70 percent of the days in a calendar month (21 days!), so long as we do enough repetitions (about 60 conscious efforts) per day.
Do you internally complain of bad posture and the problems it causes 60 times a day?
Do you think about the pain it leaves you with and the fatigue it causes?
If so, implement one new thing (e.g., using a small pillow for back support) and practice being mindful, correcting your slouch when it becomes noticeable.
When you notice it, be happy that you noticed it, correct it, and move on with your day. In a month you will be set with a helpful habit, and in a year you may realize that your last year of training, playing, or working has been so much more productive and fun because your back hasn’t been as much of a problem!
On the downside, the connection between repetition and lasting change also means that any movements done incorrectly, whether conscious or not, will also ingrain into permanent habits.
These habits are challenging to shift, which is why it is important to get information or coaching from credible sources and to always tune into our body’s feedback to figure out what is best for us.
Use a mirror to improve feedback of your own form and do your practice consciously, paying full attention to what you are doing at that moment. Once you have mastered your intended movement patterns, it may be time to increase the load and work toward a strength progression!