Sports
Technique is King in Fitness
Have you ever felt like you cannot perform exercises well at all? Here are some reasons why you need to work on your form and why it will help increase your fitness all around.
If you have seen me coach you have seen me harp on my athlete’s form on all of their movements.
Very typically my younger athletes question why I always stress their technique.
My explanation to them every time is, “If your base of movement is strong you can build a bigger house on its foundation.”
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They don’t usually fully grasp what I mean until they feel how their bodies positively react to their muscles firing properly.
Here is why it’s important for athletes of all ages and backgrounds to focus on form:
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1. Injury prevention: If you consistently perform rep after rep with poor form you typically stress the wrong muscles at the wrong angles and you can injure yourself rather easily. Even runners who run with poor form can hurt themselves. If you sideline yourself with an injury you will not be able to train and that will make it very difficult mentally and physically to hit your goals.
2. Efficient form increases speed: Technique allows your muscles to fire in proper succession which gives your body the best chance to produce the most explosive force in whichever direction you are looking to move. If you are an athlete who still competes in some manner your speed is extremely important. Whether you’re a marathon runner who needs long distance muscle speed or an explosive wrestler who needs to be able to make fast and strong movements, you need to be explosive.
3. Makes your movements feel easier: So many people try to “muscle” weight around. They usually use their low back when picking things up or they use their hips when trying to perform bicep curls in the gym. The problem with that is that as the weight gets heavier or the movement gets more complex or longer in duration your body will get tired very quickly if you aren’t incorporating the proper succession of movements. When you incorporate proper technique you will be able to maintain your body’s posture repeatedly and the movements will feel easier to perform over and over.
It sounds simplistic that you would want to perform your physical work with the proper form but I have seen so many people hurt themselves or limit their potential that I realized that technique cannot be harped on enough. You will feel stronger, faster, and healthier if you can make some positive technical changes. It’s worth it in the short and the long run! Good luck.
