Importance of Correct Form and Technique

I cannot stress enough about the importance of using correct form during your workout, whether it's weight training, plyometrics or treadmill sprints, and no matter how much you're lifting or what speed you're working at, form and technique is priority. Below I will point out the 3 negative outcomes of using incorrect form.

(As a side note, yes that is me and no I am not currently that lean, but it is a great example to use as I am clearly engaging the right muscles...and yes I know my strap is twisted.)

1. Injury

I guess that this is a no brainer right? If you're going to round in your lower back during a deadlift or hyperextend the joint during any weight baring activity you are going to injury yourself. Not only is this painful, and will halter your progress but repeatedly going back to using incorrect form when recovering from the injury can cause a more serious long term complication. One of the most common mistakes I see is people not poising their head correctly, instead tilt their head back causing the neck to scrunch and shorten and over engage the traps (muscles that run along your neck and shoulders).

A good way to avoid this, when doing a deadlift in front of the mirror for example, is to keep your neck lengthened and inline with your back and use your eyes to look up at yourself in the mirror and not your head, as this will prevent a crunching motion in the neck. This principle can be applied to many other exercises.

2. No progress

Not only can incorrect form leave you injured but it can also prevent you from reaching your goals. I see this a lot with cable kickbacks. The whole point when it comes to kickbacks is to target "dat ass" I mean...your gluteus maximas and medius through isolation work. However, I see people perform this with the back arching, the hip lifting up and swinging about with no hold on the contraction, just going through the motion. Instead they are more likely training their lower back (also likely to create an impingement). This isn't the only exercise where other body parts take over due to incorrect form. I seen people lead with the traps during shoulder workouts and seated rows. My point being: if your form is off and you're not using the right technique to contract and squeeze the right muscles for a particular exercise then you won't see the progress you're looking for.

3. Muscle imbalances

Ok so this point isn't really a direct cause of incorrect form but more down to your programme overview. Of course we all have certain body parts we want to improve on when it comes to hypertrophy (muscle building) but be mindful to create a balance throughout the body. An example would be that someone who really wants to build chest will focus on going crazy hard with their push days to the extent that they end up neglecting their back days, therefore creating impingements in their pectoralis minor (the smaller muscle under the chest) and actually lengthening and weakening the back muscles.

How do you know if you're using good form?

Some of you might think you are until a fitness professional points out otherwise. It is amazing the amount of people who's form I have tweaked and they notice a real difference. I would recommend that if you're unsure about how to perform an exercise correctly or experiencing any of the above then I would book in with a professional who knows what they are doing, who can ensure that you are carrying out your workouts safely and correctly.

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#Training #Health #Fitness #Weightloss