Why the Last Reps Matter Most

You know this feeling. The burn sets in, your muscles scream, and that little voice in your head starts whispering, “Maybe that’s enough for today.” It happens in the gym, on a tough run, in the middle of learning something new. That moment when everything in you wants to stop. But deep down, you already know—that’s the moment that matters most.

Those last few reps? That’s where growth happens.

Let’s be real: we like to believe that if we were stronger, fitter, or more disciplined, the hard things wouldn’t feel hard. That we’d push through effortlessly, maybe even enjoy it. But the truth? Hard things are hard. They’re supposed to be. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be the last reps.

Struggle doesn’t mean something is wrong. It’s not a sign you’re failing. It’s the proof that you’re right where you need to be. The discomfort, the resistance, the voice telling you to quit—that’s the signal that growth is happening. The question is: will you lean into it, or will you back off?

Just like lifting builds muscle by taking it to the edge of failure, your ability to handle discomfort is a skill you can train. The more you stay in it—whether it’s pushing through the final reps, sticking with a tough workout, or sitting with the frustration of learning—the better you get.

At the start of a set, your muscles rely primarily on stored ATP (adenosine triphosphate) for quick energy. As you continue, your body shifts to anaerobic metabolism, breaking down glycogen for fuel, which produces lactic acid as a byproduct. That burning sensation? It’s your body signaling fatigue, but it’s also a sign that you’re pushing into the zone where real adaptation occurs.

When you reach those final reps, your muscle fibers—especially the fast-twitch fibers responsible for power and growth—are being recruited to their max. This micro-damage to the muscle tissue is what stimulates repair and strength gains. It’s also when your nervous system is learning to tolerate and push past perceived limits. Over time, this translates into greater endurance, resilience, and overall strength—not just in training, but in life.

There’s a saying in the military: “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” It’s a reminder that rushing leads to mistakes, but controlled, deliberate effort creates real speed. It’s not about forcing your way through—it’s about staying steady, staying present, and letting consistency build momentum.

The same applies to pushing through discomfort. If you fight it, panic, or rush, you waste energy. But if you settle in, find your breath, and move through it smoothly, you develop true strength. The kind that doesn’t just get you through this rep, this run, this challenge—but through every hard thing ahead.

Think about the first time you pushed past that burning sensation in a workout. It felt like panic at first. But over time, you learned to sit with it. To breathe through it. To recognize it not as something to fear, but as something to work with. That’s the skill. And the more you practice it, the more it shows up everywhere—your training, your work, your relationships, your life.

The real unlock is calming the mind when it feels overwhelming.

The real strength isn’t in avoiding difficulty—it’s in getting comfortable with it. It’s in quieting the noise, steadying your breath, and choosing to stay in it just a little longer. That’s how you take ownership of the hard stuff. That’s how you break through to the next level.

So next time you hit that wall—the last reps, the final stretch, the moment where everything in you wants to back off—ask yourself: what if this is exactly where I’m supposed to be? What if this isn’t something to escape, but something to lean into?

Because you already know the answer. The last reps matter most. And you? You can do hard things.