Improper Weightlifting Techniques

Improper technique when it comes to lifting weights can increase your risk of injury and cause long-term damage. Understanding the possible pitfalls before you begin is the first step in securing a good experience; however, a failure to plan properly will, at some point, create problematic situations during your training, often ones that will hurt you physically.

So, consider the following common issues before beginning a program. Your health and safety must take first priority over your desire to become muscular and perfectly fit. Fight to not pick up bad habits or make concessions in the gym. Form and function must lead the way.

Lifting Away from the Body: Once any part of your body extends itself fully while holding any type of weight, you risk injury. Therefore, keep the weight close to you as you lift. This will also keep the muscle engaged throughout the entire repetition, thus maximizing the good stress on the area.

Narrow/Wide Feet: Leaving your feet too narrow or wide puts excessive strain on other parts of your body, most specifically your back, and can easily result in senseless injury. When you have your feet in a shoulder-width position, you are in your most athletic stance. Think of how a shortstop prepares before a pitch, a linebacker gets ready before the snap, or a tennis player sets to return serve. They are all in balanced positions with their weight distributed well. This is exactly how you should posture yourself when lifting anything.

Straight Knees and Back: A perfectly upright position, one that resembles a straight line, is unathletic and dangerous. This positioning lacks balance and can exert little to no strength. Thus, make sure your knees are slightly flexed, with your shoulders and chin over your knees. This will align your back properly to begin lifting.

Loose Core: Failing to engage the core muscles of the body-the lower back, abdominals, and obliques, loosens the entire posture you are trying to maintain and again places unneeded stress on other parts of the body, which forces them to compensate and thus risk injury. Instead, actively use your core to balance the body and give it the positioning it needs to lift properly with strong form. Lifting anything is actually a multi-muscle workout, as the core muscles should work almost as hard as the targeted muscle.

Lifting Without the Legs: Bending over at the waist to pick up anything will almost certainly lead to serious issues. Anything from a simple back strain to more serious damage involving the spine and disks can occur if you elect to use poor form and eliminate using your legs when picking up even light weight. Any back injury can be debilitating, so take every precaution to avoid one. There is a legitimate reason you hear coaches and trainers repeatedly say, "Lift with your legs".

Inconsistent Breathing: Slow, steady breathing keeps the body calm and the mind at ease, permitting you to concentrate on the task at hand and not gasp for air. Too many people grunt and yell when lifting weights, but if they stop to consider how that impacts their oxygen intake, they would realize that they would be far more efficient and successful if they remained poised and concentrated on breathing. Have a rhythmic breathing pattern and you'll see you can remain in your form longer and produce better sets.

Overly Aggressive Increases: Generally speaking, the ego leads at the gym, yet nothing could be worse. Do not worry about how many plates you can throw on the bar; instead, select a weight that is comfortable and challenging. Once you have mastered that, then begin a slow increase, never to exceed more than 10% of your last set. Going too big too soon will shred your muscles and cause considerable injury, and by the time you make it back from the recovery, you'll be lifting far less than you would have if you just kept it simple.

In the end, make quality decisions about your training, and lift weights with the idea in mind that form trumps everything. Healthy form will get you stronger and in better shape faster than trying to yank and pull weight that is too heavy. Avoid injury and you'll find the body you have wanted soon enough.

Sources

www.buzzle.com/articles/weight-lifting.techniques.html

http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/backpain/ht/lift.htm