Do You Have Correct Technique?
Have you ever been mid way though a work out and someone comes up to you and says, “Hey, you're doing it wrong”, “Can I show you something”, or “Can I give you a hand”?
If that’s the first thing that usually comes out of their mouths, it probably means that they are wrong and you shouldn’t take advice from them. As much as you may suck at the gym lifting weights, we all have different goals, different needs for a type of exercise and injuries and mobility issues.
There isn’t just one type of deadlift or squat, in fact, there are many. Cross-Fit, Body Building, Power Lifting all use the one exercise to do work the body in different ways and use different mechanics. The thing that bothers me is that so many people are ready to tell someone they are doing something to make themselves feel more accomplished or more knowledgeable. What they should be asking is, "What are you training for?” By establishing first what you are training for, you can then begin to learn whether your technique is correct for what you're trying to achieve.
Of course there is always going to be bad technique that can lead to injuries, and if someone looks like they are in danger of hurting themselves you should always help! However, one thing that can throw people off is if they have been taught this technique by someone else who isn't completely sure of what they're doing, and they too them selves have been a victim of, “Let me show you how to...”
I encountered this today whilst training a client. A member approached my client and insisted to give him advice on how to get more out of his deadlift by using a certain technique. Luckily my client felt like it was a good time to look back at me and roll his eyes to show his dissatisfaction with his new “PT” so to affirm that he wasn’t going to follow him up on his tips. With one of my clients posture abnormalities this method probably would have seen him massaging his neck for the next few days.
Like everything in health and fitness there isn’t a one size fits all approach.
If you or a friend have suffered from “Brosciencetechniqueintrusion” call your local PT to get the best program to your needs. This post is mainly for those of you who have been going to the gym and have been doing a certain technique and told it's wrong, but have always thought it was right. There can be lots of confusion when doing exercise, and this only adds to the moreconfusing nature of going to the gym!
If something doesn’t seem right, please speak to a professional.
Safe Training!
