o, what guy doesn’t want bulging muscles and ripped abs? You see it everyday at the gym, all types of guys doing all kinds of exercises. The lean muscular runner doing leg lifts. Or the brawny football player type doing 300 pound bench presses. What you don’t see a lot of, however, is good form. So many of us think we have it, but we don’t. We even sometimes hear trainers talking about “form” yet they don’t always practice what they preach. Many body injuries, such as an injured rotator cuff, can be attributed to poor form. Here’s a secret. Good form isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. So what is good form? How do you get it? How do you know who has good form and who doesn’t? Here are 10 tips to help you down the path to good form:
1. Concentrate. Think of a ballet dancer or a painter. They are focused on what they are doing. Good form takes extreme concentration. Chances are the people you see gabbing with a friend or singing along with their ipod, don’t have good form.
2. Think. This may synonymous with the same as #1, but it isn’t. You’ve got to think about what muscle or muscles you are working out. If you are working out your bicep, it is only your bicep that should be working. You shouldn’t be using your shoulder or forearm to do a curl. If you are working your chest, it should only be your chest muscles working. Many times if I feel I am not focused during a workout, I will stop to think about what I’m trying to work on. And yes, that takes #1…concentration.
3. Squeeze You’ve got to squeeze the muscle you want to work. A slow squeeze is best. I often remind myself to squeeze or I count slowly while doing repetitions. For example, if you are doing a chest press, you want to slowly squeeze your chest muscles in order to raise the bar. Pushing with your shoulders or arms not only does not work out your chest but also could lead to injury.
4. Full Range of Motion. Use good form throughout the positive and negative aspects of the exercise. For example, with a bicep curl there should be a slow squeeze up and then a slow release down. Feeling a plateau in your exercise regimen? You will feel the “nice ache” the next day from this simple step.
5. Don’t rock back and forth while doing bicep curls. If you are rocking back and forth, chances are you are lifting too heavy of a weight or not concentrating on the particular muscle you need to work out. Using momentum to lift weights is not good form.
6. Don’t lift your pelvis off the bench when doing chest presses. You are not exercising your pelvis (no comment). Remember you’ve got to think about the muscle you are working on and concentrate.
7. Use mirrors. Ever wonder why there are so many mirrors in the gym? No, it’s not so you can check out your new haircut. Mirrors provide the opportunity for us to check out our form while we exercise. If we are doing unnecessary rocking or swinging, we need to stop and concentrate.
8. Watch others. I know, your mother told you not to stare. But watch other people to see who is using good form and who isn’t. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to spot and how much bad form is out there. If you see someone with a really ripped physique, changes are he/she has good form.
9. Breathe. Focusing on your breathing while exercising is always important. Holding your breath while lifting weights is not healthy or responsible.
10. Stretch and relax. Good form is work. Your muscles will ache but be happy. Make sure you take the time to properly stretch before and after your workout and give your muscles time to rest and regroup. They’ll thank you.
