We have all seen a lot of people (usually egotistical men) using bad lifting form in the gym, usually to "appear" stronger. Others are just naive and uneducated on what correct technique looks like, and more importantly why it's pivotal to progression. Today I want to reiterate the importance of correct lifting technique, it can be the difference between making progress and failing!

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Neurological Conditioning

 

Your exercise technique partially dictates the quality and strength of the neurological connection within a muscle group - if you use s*** form, it is highly likely your ability to recruit muscle fibers will be limited. There will be limited "feel" and therefore a limited "pump" in the muscle, which means you're not getting enough tension.

**The more experienced you become after years of repetitions with correct form, the better your neurological connection should be. This is why it is crucial to start doing things right NOW.**

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Muscle Tension 

 

With limited muscle fiber recruitment and tension achieved, there is little reason for your muscle to grow. Lifting to build muscle is all about spending enough time under tension, which means being in control of the weight through the concentric and eccentric phases, as well as at the isometric points.

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Relative Progression

 

Achieving progressive overload is crucial for growth, but doing so with the right form is just as important. It doesn't count adding 20% to your 10 rep max on bench press, if your form suddenly becomes s***! That is not a relative gain in strength, you have taken a shortcut, therefore you cannot expect the overload accumulated from that training to be effective.

Having a set standard is crucial when it comes to exercise form, that you don't deviate away from.

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**Sometimes I will use partial repetitions and forced repetitions with "looser" form to really finish a muscle off, but this follows the use of correct form. It is not my standard technique.**

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Injury & Longevity 

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Using correct form should preserve your longevity, which means you can train harder for longer and progress faster. It also means your quality of life should be better as well because injuries won't cause you joint pain, or worse!

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Kris Gethin

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