Poor Form: What's the Big Deal?

Over the years, since I began using a gym (which is about three years now - god, it feels alot longer) I've heard a lot about good and bad 'form'. Now, I'm the kind of gym-user who trains better alone - and I've trained in plenty of groups so far - so I tended to pick up new exercises and workouts from watching others, training with more experienced people, and through good old trial and error. And I still sometimes find myself half-way through a badly executed exercise, with the wrong muscle twinging, and a fairly embarrassed feeling flooding through me. However, I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so it helps me to make sure most of the time I'm performing a rep 'correctly' - and with such a busy lifestyle, I don't feel you need to spend three hours at the gym to feel satisfied - if I can work a muscle just as well in a single good rep than I can in three bad ones, then it's the best of both worlds.

But 'bad form' can be incredibly dangerous - I've read about and discussed plenty of cases where people have been injured (sometimes fatally) from trying to perform a maneuver incorrectly. We tend to forget we're lifting incredibly heavy weights, with our own brute strength the only thing stopping them from crushing us; what happens when you go one weight too high or find your control slipping?

As dramatic as that sounds, it can all be avoided. Gyms are generally fairly safe places all round, and if you keep in mind the following advice, you shouldn't have many problems:

The Right Weight: Make sure you are using a weight you know you can deal with - if you're increasing the weight try to do so in increments of no higher than 1.25 - 2.5kgs.

Take it Slow: Just take you're time, the speed at which you perform a rep does NOT affect the end result.

Use a Mirror: You may well hate seeing your reflection, but using a mirror can ensure your arms are twisting, lifting and holding in the correct way.

Know When to Stop: If it hurts a little, then it's just your muscles straining - if it hurts a lot then stop; simple as that.

Ask! Don't be afraid to ask someone that works at the gym you use - it may be embarrassing, but you will be getting professional advice. Trust me, it will do you wonders.

Hope this helps guys,

Keep the peace,

D R-Lincoln