If you frequent gyms and understand anything about form and proper movement of the body then often times you need a blindfold. I see it all, rounded backs, no glute activation, bad posture, and no trunk focus just to name a few. Form and posture in a movement is the key to what makes that movement successful. Deciding to not do a training movement correctly makes me ask “why do it at all?” Sure, when you start heading into max lifts and competitions, you have to step it up and give it all you have. On the normal day though, form is key. The truth is that most trainees are doing even the most basic and popular of movements wrong.

When it comes to fat loss a good resistance training program paired with a solid diet will get you to that goal of being cut pretty fast. The things we most want to take advantage of when it comes to resistance training for fat loss is…

• Having as much muscle growth as possible in a deficit, which will provide better body comp and energy usage.
• Maintaining mass, as not to lose it in a deficit.
• Achieving a certain look and body composition and/or performance

There is a lot more that affects fat loss but, these are the main drivers we are looking for. None of this will be achieved at a maximum output if your form is not correct. Bad form means all those things fail to be achieved optimally, and sometimes not at all. Let’s also not forget the chance of injury. If you are out of the game, you certainly can’t win it.

Here we are going to look at a real basic full body training workout to be used for fat loss. This is the kind of simple program that the average gym goer takes a strike at. These are solid basic movements and I say why mess with the basics or at the very least run before you can crawl.

• Step Ups 3×15
• Walking lunges 3×20
• Bent over Rows 3×12
• Chin-ups 3×12
• Push-ups 3×12
• Planks 3×60 secs

Check Yo Self Fool

No matter what workout you are doing the following is going to apply to you. I am simply using the workout above as a point of reference for movements. You’ll notice I didn’t put squats or deadlifts on the list. I feel of all exercises these two really need to come with a ‘dummies’ manual. Still, with any movement the below checklist should help you no matter what movement you are doing, check it!

1. Check Yo Ego

This is by far the number one problem I see when it comes to bad form. If the weight is too heavy for you to be able to lift it properly then surprise, your form is going to fail. Look, I know you want to be the tough one. Notice I don’t say guy either because I have seen just as many women try to pull some ridiculous weight in bad form as well (see self story at end). I see this most with Step-Ups. There are many different types of Step-Ups and methods. In general, I believe Step Ups for most people should be about helping with glute firing and balance of whole leg work. It is a great exercise when it is kept to its most basic of principles. This is specifically why I put it in the OPT program.

When you are doing Step-Ups the number one thing to remember is the ultimate goal of this movement, in this manner, is to raise your body up with one foot on a high platform (should be knee height).  How many of you can raise your body, with one leg, off the ground onto a platform at knee height with ease? Yeah not easy, yet I see everyone and their mama loading themselves up with the dumbbells and barbells galore all the while pushing their bodies of the ground with their other foot, leaning forward net over, killing their knees, allowing their quads to be dominate, and destroying a beautiful and simple movement.

Don’t let your ego make you jump the gun and add weight to an already challenging movement.

2. Check Yo Fear

Just as your ego can make you try to pull too heavy of weight, your fear will stop you form going the distance. You would think not going all the way in a movement couldn’t possibly hurt you, but think again. Being scared of a movement usually means strain on the joints. Let me explain this with a Lunge.

Lunges are one of the most difficult movements to perform correctly in the first place. The number one excuse I hear for bad lunge form is “I have bad knees.” Last time I checked the lunges were meant to activate the glute/hamstrings more than any other muscle group. If you are feeling it in your knees, then that is the first sign you aren’t doing it correctly. Most people don’t allow themselves to go complete in the movement out of fear of hurting their knees and guess what? That is the quickest way to put more strain on them. They usually go half way in the movement (putting more strain on the joint) and go slowly and carefully (creating longer time under tension on that already strained joint). When you perform a movement go swiftly and with confidence in that movement.

A fast and confident performance puts you at 10 times less risk than a shaky and slow one.

3. Check Yo Core

As much as trainers and health ‘experts’ really overuse and misuse the use of the core, it does exist and it is for important to your movement being correct. When you really think about it in a logical sense how many movements can you take part in that does not use the middle of your body? It is called the core for a reason. It is the center of movement and you need to make sure that it is tight, in use, and stabilizing the movement you are trying to perform. For this example, I want to use the Push-Up.

I think I have met a handful of people who do Push-Up properly. While your hand placement is important, the forgotten importance most of the time is the core. Push-ups are not easy movements when performed correctly. If I do Push-ups, improperly, without activating the right muscles of my core, and proper hand placement, I can really knock out some reps. I do it properly with a swift movement and heavy core focus and while I may not be able to know out as many, they are correct. I say it a lot about Sit-Ups and I am going to say it about Push-Ups. If you are doing hundreds of them a day, chances are, you aren’t doing them right.

4. Check Yo Focus

I am an avid believer in working out and making the majority of your exercises compound movements. That being said, when doing an exercise (isolate or compound) there is generally a dominant muscle or group of muscles that you are trying to work on building. Let’s take a great compound movement like Chin-Ups.

Chin-Ups should be a heavy lat dominant workout but still give a nice little kick for the biceps and even abs. Most of the time however, when I see chin ups done the muscles getting most of the work is the biceps and anterior delts and they are getting strained at that. When you prepare yourself for a movement take a mental checklist of what you are about working. For a Chin-Up don’t just walk up to the bar and try to pull yourself up. Wake up your lats, tighten your trunk, keep everything in support of the movement in your back that is about to take place. DON’T try to raise yourself up by your biceps! Focus the muscles you are trying to workout in the first place.

5. Check Yo Breath

You would think that the act to transferring air in and out of the body would be something that just happens, something you don’t have to think about. Sadly, I have seen guys with the best squatting form in the world…turn red and almost bust multiple veins in their heads. Breathing correctly during your workout is beyond important. One of the worst exercises for breathing is a plank.

Planks are a static hold, people often in effort to hold the movement longer, end up holding their breath at the same time. This isn’t the best move for your muscles or your brain. You get dizzy, your form fails, and your muscles lack oxygen. Last, but certainly not least, if you aren’t churning out the air, your not burning the fat. Fat is released primarily through two sources, exported through the kidneys, and you guessed it, exhaled through Carbon Dioxide. It is true that you can breath your way to fat loss.

Remember the next time you head to the gym think about all these aspects and check yo self.

Be honest and ask yourself “Are you focusing on your form?” I bet you that you haven’t been! I bet you have a story don’t you?

(Hint: I almost blew out a knee trying to do a 200 pound quarter squat a few years ago just so I could “get it on video.” Oh yeah, your host can be a dumbass too. )

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 18th, 2008 at 11:30 pm and is filed under fat loss trianing, form fat loss, training form. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.