In a very broad manner, I want to let my readers know the correct form in performing some of the most popular lifts. I include these in my workout routines, and over the years I have trained with many people, including a professional power lifter who still has world records in power lifting to this day. With the help of these guys, I have learned the correct technique to use for almost every exercise. Now I will show you some of the most popular exercises and the form you should use in a step-by-step manner.
Squat:
1. Get under the bar, placing the bar right under your traps and above your rear deltoids (There should be a little pocket where the bar can sit)
2. Lift the bar and take a couple of steps back
3. Place your feet a couple inches wider than shoulder width apart with your feet facing outwards just a little bit
4. Take in a deep breath and hold it while your perform the lift
5. Squat down so your legs are at a 90 degree angle
6. Explode up to the top with everything you have
7. Repeat until you are done with your set
Bench:
1. Lay down on the bench and flex your shoulders back onto the bench. Place your feet a little behind the end of the bench giving you more leverage
2. Lift the bar and center it on your chest
3. Keep your body tight and take a deep breath as your perform the lift
4. Lower the bar to your lower chest in a smooth motion
5. Once you hit your chest, explode back up to the top
6. Lockout with your arms as straight as possible
7. Repeat until you are done with your set
Dead Lift:
1. Place your feet a little more than shoulder with apart with your feet facing just a little to the outside
2. Place your hands about 2 inches outwards from where the texture of the bar changes from smooth to rough (it should be towards the middle of the bar)
3. Grab the bar (grabbing the bar overhanded is a lot more difficult that grab the bar with one hand over hand and one under hand)
4. Squat down towards the floor
5. Keep your body tight and take a deep breath as your perform the lift
6. When you come up, pull with your back
7. When you get about halfway, extend your legs in a sort of a humping fashion as you do it (this will help you to explode and make it easier to lift the weight
8. Lockout with your legs fully extended
9. Repeat until your set is complete
Standing Barbell Curls:
1. Grab your dumbbell and stand with your feet shoulder width apart
2. Make sure your back does not move when performing this lift
3. The barbell should hang with your arms fully extended
4. Lift the barbell in an upward motion, bending your arms, until the barbell gets close to your chin
5. Hold that between 2 and 3 seconds
6. Slowly bring the barbell down slowly (it should take about 5 seconds to reach full extension)
7. Repeat until your set is complete
Seated Tricep Extension:
1. Grab a dumbbell
2. Sit down on the bench with your back straight
3. Lift the dumbbell up over your head with your arms fully extended
4. Bring the dumbbell down behind your head, leaving your elbows in the same place (Note: Your arms will bend)
5. Make sure your elbows are in and do not flare your elbows out
6. Lower the dumbbell until the top of the weight is right behind your head
7. Raise the dumbbell back up until your arms are fully extended
8. Repeat until your set is complete
Now that I have described for you the best form for these exercises, I want to say a couple things.
1. First of all, heavy weights on these exercises should not be performed more than twice a week, but I recommend only once a week. You can and most likely will hurt yourself if you perform these exercises every day or every other day. Trust me, I have done this before. I was so determined to get bigger arms that I trained arms every day I was at the gym. This worked for about a week, and then I started getting sharp pains shooting up my forearms. I stopped that, talked to a couple chiropractors, and they told me that I should not lift anything heavy with my arms for a couple weeks until it healed.
2. Second, these exercises should not be performed at the universal three sets of ten reps every time you do them. Mix it up. Confuse your muscles so they are not prepared for what you are about to do to them.
3. Third, DO NOT try to max every time you perform these exercises. You are not going to get any stronger and your max will not increase if you try to max every time you workout. Again, confuse those muscles. If they know that you are going to try to push as much weight up as possible, they will be ready for that and they will not be strained.
4. The last and most important thing is DO NOT cheat your lifts by incorporating another muscle. I had this problem as well. When I would bench press, I would have my elbows spaced to wide, so my shoulders would overcompensate for the muscle that my chest did not have. Over a period of time, I injured my shoulder and I could not do any straight bar bench press or shoulder press for six months. Fortunately, my power lifting buddy told me the correct form and I have been fine ever since. Do the lifts with correct form, even if you cannot lift as much as some other person. Strength increases come with time and hard work.
Email: Chapin.Richards93@gmail.com
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