Check Your Form

The single most important thing to know when you’re working out is to use proper form. Without proper form you’ll never see the results you’re looking for and you run the risk of serious injury. I see people at the gym everyday using bad form and if you’ve never used a trainer or had a friend spot you that knows what they’re doing; chances are that you’re using bad form. I’m not going to lie. I catch myself doing it all the time, especially when I’m particularly exhausted and just not really feeling it or I’m having an off day in general. When you wake up the next morning and your muscles aren’t sore or your body hurts somewhere it shouldn’t then you need to double check your form.

Cardio

When you start working out most people tackle cardio first. This is a great way to get yourself started while you build up the courage to start training with weights. There’s not really much to be said about your form as it pertains to cardio, but the best piece of advice I can give to help you avoid injury is to get your stride checked and buy a good pair of shoes that will work with your feet. When I was younger I used to run 9 miles every day. I went through shoes so fast I thought I’d just be better off buying whatever I could find on the clearance rack that felt comfortable. Man was I wrong! I have high arches and after years of pounding the pavement, mile after mile, day after day the tendons in my ankle became very weak and eventually tore. A torn tendon is no joke! It can take anywhere from 4 to 10 months to heal, if they ever heal completely. I could have probably avoided this injury by wearing shoes designed for running that support high arches. Never underestimate the benefits of proper sports support gear.

Basic Form

I don’t want to go too in depth here. If you’re working out with free weights try to be aware of the proper form for the exercise you are doing. In general, the entire time you’re at the gym you should keep your abs tight, your pelvis turned in, keep your knees and feet apart, and never lock your joints. When you’re working your upper body you should also make sure that your chest is out and your back is straight. Pulling your chest forward when you bring the weights in keeps the upper back engaged. Keeping your abs tight and your pelvis turned in helps work your core muscles while preventing injury to your back. When you’re working your upper body this is particularly important to remember because your body will naturally disperse the weight being pushed/pulled/lifted to your lower back in an attempt to make the movement easier on your other muscles. Keep the resistance where you want it and don’t put more stress on your lower back than what’s necessary. Similarly, when you’re working your legs you should always keep your feet and knees apart. If your legs are dispersing the energy and force it requires to lift a weight off on each other, you’re not really making the best use of your weightlifting and you’re never going to get the results you’re hoping for. Lastly, whether you’re working your upper or lower body, you should never lock your joints. When you lock your joints in the full extension of a movement your muscles are no longer engaged in the exercise and you’re not going to see progress. Since keeping your muscles engaged is the key to getting bigger stronger muscles it’s also important to make sure your range of motion doesn’t extend passed where you can feel it in the target muscle group. For instance the range or motion for your triceps is really small, so whether you’re doing tricep dips using a bench or using the cable weight machine your range of motion is only going to be a few inches.

Keep in mind that these are just general guidelines to follow. If you’re doing yoga, palates, working out with free weights, etc. be mindful of what muscles are supposed to be engaged and if those ones are the ones you’re using. Keep the right muscles engaged as long as you can. And never lift more than you can handle or you’ll end up compromising your form and having to work twice as hard to get the same results.

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