Most people believe that if they just work out, that they will trim up or get bigger depending on their lifting goals, but this is not true. When lifting, one should always remember the aspect of Proper Form. Many people overlook this aspect of working out. They think that if they just focus on lifting heavier, they will definitely get the results, but this is not the truth.

First of all, let me explain proper form. Proper form is perfect form and nothing short of that. When you lift with proper form, you should feel the concentration of the lift primarily in the area you are working. A lot of people will think that just because they can feel something during their workout, they have proper form. They may have near-proper form, but not proper form. For example, if you are curling with your biceps, proper form should consist of the following:

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1)      Stand straight up with an erect posture

a.       One foot in front of the other helps with balance

2)      Keep elbows snug to torso

3)      When contracting the bicep:

a.       Be sure that your upper body is not rocking at all

b.      Be sure that your feet stay put as much as possible

c.       Don’t work any muscle but the bicep

                                                                           i.      Pull up with your bicep, NOT your hand. You need to feel that you are using your bicep during the pull, not pulling your hand to your shoulder.

4)      When relaxing the bicep

a.       Take a few seconds and hold the curl, than relax

b.      Be sure to breathe in on relax

5)      Throughout the entire lift make sure you exhale on muscle contraction, and inhale on relaxation.

6)      Be sure that you feel your bicep do the work

This is an analysis of the proper form of bicep curls. This is very detailed, and as a lifter you should realize what specifics you need as you lift, to create your own proper forms for each exercise. The way you’ll know that you’re getting warmer and warmer to the target is when you feel the burn. There are times when the muscle gets tired and doesn’t burn, but this is because the other involved muscles took away from the benefit of the workout. There is no room for cheating, as cheating creates weak lifters. The determined lifter should stay focused on proper form even more so than weight gains.

                Having proper form when exercising, I would say is the pinnacle to getting the results you’re looking for. From personal testimony, seven months of sloppy lifting (lifting with near-proper form) paled in comparison to three months of proper lifting.

Filed under: Fitness

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