Are you strict enough with your training technique?

There are a few reasons why you want to use proper technique when you are training. The first is to ensure that you use the correct technique to achieve your exercise and fitness goals. Implementing the right technique will make your workouts more efficient and you will achieve superior results. It will also minimise the risk of you sustaining any injury from your workouts. The second reason is that you don’t want to end up on one of the gym fail videos like the one below. Here are a couple of things that you should keep in mind when you are working out in the gym.

Don’t just try to lift the heaviest weight possible.

This is a common mistake that most people do at the gym. They try to lift the heaviest weights at the gym and then sustain an injury due to poor form or even the weights being too heavy to control, so it affects their joints. It is important to focus on resistance training to build strength and control with your muscles using the correct form. This will allow the muscle to breakdown and develop correctly, which will also improve your strength over time.

Don’t throw around the weight.

This is another common way that people get injured. In a bid to do the exercise as quickly as they can, they end up throwing the weights around and it doesn’t put any resistance on the muscle. It is common to see people throwing the weights up when they are doing bicep curls. They think they are growing their muscles, but it actually doesn’t do anything because the weight isn’t being used to break down the muscle fibres. Furthermore, it is very easy to get injured due to the lack of control and the impact that it can have on the joints.

Don’t just do 2 minutes of cardio and claim that it is a session.

The majority of people don’t like doing cardiovascular activity. Many people choose to do a quick cardio session by doing something quickly and then claim that it is a HIIT session. If you are doing a 2 minute sprint session, you are exercising but you can hardly call that a cardio session. It’s unlikely that the muscles have warmed up properly and exerting too much effort onto your muscles could result in aches, pains or strains afterwards. Ensure that your workout incorporates a warm-up, a proper cardiovascular session and a cool down. This will ensure that you complete a proper cardio workout as well as minimise the risk of sustaining an injury.

Don’t skip stretching before and after workouts.

If you are one of these people, you need to get into the habit of stretching to avoid sustaining any injury. Make sure that your muscles feel limber and loose before starting a workout.

Don’t always go to failure.

Going to failure does work, but it can lead to injury if you do it too many times. The best thing to do is to listen to your body. If your body cannot complete the movement, don’t force it. You don’t want to complete an extra rep and sustain an injury that will prevent you from training. Is there anything else that you look out for to maintain your training technique? Let us know in the comments.