THE WELLNESS & FITNESS CENTER'S BLOG

Proper Form During Exercise

August 21, 2014, 10:38 pm - Categories: Education, Fitness

“One must learn to walk before they can run.”   ~Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

The study of human movement (also known as kinesiology) centers around the fact that the human body performs 5 basic movement patterns: pushing, pulling, bending, rotating, and single-leg movements. During everyday activities and exercise, we use these movement patterns in a variety of combinations, creating thousands of opportunities to perform these motions improperly. Most issues stem from poor posture and improper body alignment.

So why is proper form so important and how do we align the body?

The most important reason to maintain proper form during exercise is injury prevention. In addition, proper form is the best way to get the most out of your time and your body. When we align the body properly, we optimize its power and its strength. Therefore, we work less and achieve more (= increased efficiency).

To align the body properly, start with your posture. Stand tall, pull your shoulder blades together, and stick your chest out. By doing this, you will align the body so that your ears are over your shoulders and your shoulders are over your hips. To ensure proper alignment of the lower body, stand with your feet hip-width apart, maintain a slight bend in your knees, and brace your core by drawing your belly button in towards your backbone.

Here are 5 tips to help you complete your exercises correctly:

1. THINK about what you are doing! What muscle or muscle groups are you targeting with each exercise? And once you begin the exercise, do you feel those areas being worked? If not, then adjust either your alignment or the weight you have chosen.
2. Leave your ego at home! Do not compare yourself to the person next to you; compare yourself to you last month. Have YOU achieved more? Are YOU getting stronger?
3. SLOW DOWN. Exercises done quickly require an initial generation of force and then no other muscle recruitment throughout the motion. This is known a momentum. Using proper pace will ensure that your muscles produce force throughout the whole motion. You will recruit more muscle fibers and get a greater benefit from each exercise.
4. Start light. Start with a light weight and work your way up. This will help prevent you from compensating with other muscle groups. It seem counter-intuitive, but it will get you better long-term results.
5. Have someone observe you. Ask a degreed/certified fitness professional to watch you as you perform your exercises. They will often see things you do not and can alert you to tiny improvements that can make all the difference. At VHWFC, we always have someone on the fitness floor to assist you. Take advantage of us. We would be glad to give you our feedback and ensure you are using proper form during your workouts.

By: Olivia Legge, BS, ACE-CPT/GFI, Fitness Specialist/Personal Trainer/Group X Instructor at Vally Health Wellness & Fitness Center