Weight vs Form

Have you ever walked into a gym and been intimidated by some big muscley guy throwing an inconceivable weight around. Sure he might look good but just think how much better he would look, if he hadn’t become so consumed with lifting maximum weight that he’s lost sight of the original goal of stimulating muscle growth and building an aesthetic physique.

As tempting as it is to disregard everything we know in pursuit of his physique, the truth is that these guys, and girls, are genetically blessed. Sure they train hard, eat well and make lots of sacrifices but if this was all that is required then we would all look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Although it's not impossible to build one of these physiques, it is impossible for 99% of us to attain a championship level, the rest of us have to make do with what nature has given us. While the genetically blessed may be able to get away with a moment of insanity, and drop their form for weight, the rest of us will achieve our best results by sticking to the science. After all, do you want to look like Mr Olympia or an Eastern Block Power Lifter!

Forgoing the heavy weights and going back to basics might sound simple but it is probably one of the most difficult things to do, especially when you are used to being the strongest guy in the gym. Not to worry though, your strength gains will catch up with you eventually, and you will be the best that you can be.

Try the following steps for success, and an easier transition:

Step One: Leave Your Ego at the Gym Door

Whenever you step into the gym forget about competing with other lifters. You are there to take care of you, so forget about your ego and just concentrate on yourself and your needs.

Step Three: Use a Lighter Weight

The major factor contributing to excessive momentum and bad form, is using excessive weight. Yes, exercises executed with heavy weight and good form will improve your musculature, but excessive weight done incorrectly can have adverse consequences, everything from joint pain to a muscle tear.

When faced with the decision of using lighter weight with stricter form, or heavier weight with poor form, use the lighter weight with stricter form. At first you may feel that you have lost strength because you are using a lighter weight but the truth is that, because you are performing the exercise correctly, it will actually be far more taxing on the target muscle.

Step Two: Slow Down

The next biggest pitfall contributing to bad form is executing the exercises too fast. If you let the bar drop back down to your chest when bench pressing for example, you are only doing half the work. The idea is to keep the muscle under tension for as long as possible by slowing the descent of the bar back down toward your chest, rather than letting the ligaments and tendons of the sternum absorb the weight. Ouch!

The speed of the movement should be such that you can 'feel' both positive and negative portions of the movement. “Feeling” the weight means that you have absolute control of it at all times. The muscle should be "squeezing" the weight up and a controlling its descent, not just moving it from A to B with whatever you’ve got. Using momentum to move excessive weight has no benefit other than feeding the ego.

Step Four: Train to Failure

The number of repetitions you perform will depend on your goals and on whose opinion you respect more but, regardless of the number of repetitions a lifter is supposed to perform, the primary focus should be to complete the desired number of repetitions without pausing. This means overcoming the “pain” barrier and using a spotter or Personal Trainer to ensure that you get out the last couple of reps.

It is the last few repetitions that are the most important because this is when muscle recruitment is at its highest and the greater the muscle recruitment, the greater the growth. And the best bit is that muscle failure will occur regardless of how many repetitions you do, and how much weight you lift!

Step Six: Train According To Your Capacity, Not Just Your Goals

One of the biggest mistakes novice lifters make is using workouts that are too advanced. "One must learn to walk before one can run." In bodybuilding, muscle development is the same. While your goals may be to build a championship physique, we must all start with the fundamentals and train at a level our bodies can cope with.

Every training session is literally a physical trauma for our bodies and should be taken very seriously. Training at an inappropriate level will lead to overtraining and injury. In other words, do not copy the workout of the biggest guy in the gym, start with a basic program and modify it as you progress.

If you are unsure of what level you should be training at then consult a Personal Trainer.

Step Seven: Food for Thought

Having said all of this, it is sometimes beneficial to break the rules to progress. The trick is to know the rules before you break them, and to do so with the utmost care. As someone once said,  "If it's stupid yet works, then it isn't stupid."