THE INSIDER’S TELL-ALL HANDBOOK ON WEIGHT-TRAINING TECHNIQUE

Adapting to superior form

It is impossible to learn improved form at a stroke
and immediately apply it to your usual working
poundages. You must first practice the improved
form using light weights for several workouts, and
then progressively build your poundages back to
where they used to be. How much time you will
need to do this largely depends on how many bad
habits you have to “unlearn.” If your current form is
in a mess, then you will need to reduce your weights
substantially and take several months to build the
poundages back.
Be patient. Most people who learn of improved
form immediately want to apply it to their usual
weights. Then because they cannot maintain the
new form with those weights they immediately re-
turn to their old inferior form. To implement an
overhaul of your exercise form, take a temporary
break from full-bore training. Start a new training
cycle, reduce all your poundages, practice the new
form with light weights, and then gradually build
the weights back. Be religiously uncompromising about
using perfect form.
Once you have built your weights back to your
best inferior-form level, but while now using perfect
form, you will probably have to settle for a slower
rate of progression. Use small weight increments
and only when you have truly earned them. This is
one of the most important rules for safe and effec-
tive weight training. If you rush to add weight, like
most people do, you will ruin your exercise form.
If, once you know what good form is, you apply
it without exception to every rep of each set you do,
then you will use good form indefinitely. But if you
relax just a bit here and just a bit there, then before
you know it you will be back to where you started,
with all the accompanying aches, pains, injuries and
frustration. Make no compromises, ever!
Resolving to learn and then apply good
exercise technique may be the most im-
portant decision you ever make in your
training.

Some general tips for handling weights

Even strong trainees can easily injure themselves while handling weights when getting into position for
an exercise, or returning the weights after an exercise. If, for example, you lift a barbell loaded with small
diameter plates from off the floor, or heavy dumbbells from off the floor, the increased range of motion
relative to what you are conditioned for, together with perhaps not keeping a flat back, can injure you.
Instead, for example, take dumbbells from a rack or stand; and return dumbbells to a stand/rack after
an exercise rather than put them on the floor. Lifting with a rounded back can cause injury even when
light weights are involved.
Always apply good lifting mechanics that preserve a flat back, in and out of the gym, and don’t be
shy about getting help to move a heavy or awkward object.
Avoid carrying a single heavy dumbbell in one hand, as that produces skewed and asymmetrical
stress that can easily trigger injury.

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