Around 64 million Americans have a gym membership, but statistics show that as many as 65 percent of them get some form of injury.
Exercise is the best medicine that we have for so many health issues,including cardiovascular health, mental health and obesity. If you are going to the gym regularly you may see the same people in there every time, but you may notice too that many are not making any noticeable improvements to their physique.
Even though that may not be the only reason that we go to the gym, it is a confirmation that we are making progress and will make us feel better about ourselves.
So how can we exercise more effectively and efficiently?
Exercise is not just a physical endeavor, but also a psychological one. The connection between mind and muscle plays an important role in achieving maximum benefits. This “mind-muscle connection” is the conscious, deliberate focus on contracting the muscle that is being worked.
For example, when performing a bicep curl instead of simply moving the weight up and down, focus intently on the sensation of the bicep contracting and relaxing. Practicing this can enhance the effectiveness of your physical training by improving the quality of each movement and ensuring that the targeted muscle groups are properly engaged, and lead to more effective muscle growth and strength gains.
The importance of the correct form in actually performing the exercise cannot be overstated. Each exercise has a specific technique designed to isolate and work the muscle or muscle group with optimal efficiency, and proper form ensures the exercise targets the intended muscles, reduces the risk of injury and maximizes efficiency during the workout.
When we abandon form in favor of lifting heavier weights or performing the movement faster, we not only compromise our safety but also end up with a much less effective workout.
Instead, by maintaining the correct posture, moving through a full range of motion at the correct speed, and watching other important factors, such as how we breathe during the movement, spinal alignment, the positioning of our feet and arms, the distribution of weight and balance and the sequence of muscle engagement, we can get much more out of our workouts.
Intuitive exercise, or listening to our body and responding to its needs, can complement the mind-muscle connection. This involves adjusting workouts based on how we feel physically and mentally, which can lead to a more sustainable and enjoyable exercise regimen.
This approach encourages us to be mindful of our body’s signals, such as fatigue, discomfort or increased energy, and adjust the exercise intensity, duration, and form accordingly. Doing so can help avoid overtraining, reduce the risk of injury and maintain a positive relationship with exercise.
This is all crucial for maximizing the benefits of exercise, minimizing the risk of injury and ensuring long-term progress. It is also important to note our individual differences.
Sometimes we might see an exercise performed on YouTube or somewhere else online and copy it, such videos can be very beneficial and inspiring but also can be dangerous if we don’t pay attention to the correct form and technique, or if the person in the video is actually performing the exercises in an incorrect way and we just copy it.
Next time that you go to the gym, make sure to pay attention to your form and get the most from your workout. If you have not recently worked with a personal trainer,then I would suggest that you hire one, even just for a few sessions, to help you understand exercise form.
If you cannot hire a trainer or you are only working out at home, then you can get great information and video demonstrations for free on websites, such as exercise.com and exrx.net.
References:
• National Library of Medicine. “Exercise efficiency relates with mitochondrial content and function in older adults”. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4510622/
• A Healthier Michigan. “The Importance of Proper Technique and Form to Your Workout”. https://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/stories/fitness/the-importance-of-proper-technique-and-form-to-your-workout
• Gitnux. “Must-Know Gym Injuries Statistics [Recent Analysis]”. https://gitnux.org/gym-injuries-statistics/
• ExRx Exercise Directory. https://exrx.net/Lists/Directory
• Human Kinetics. “Proper Form and Technique”. https://us.humankinetics.com/blogs/excerpt/proper-form-and-technique
• Exercise.com. “Improve your form and discover new exercises”. https://www.exercise.com/exercises/
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Ayda Ersoy is a nutritionist (Dip.C.N., Dip.S.N.); master trainer (CPT ACE, NCSF, CanfitPro); registered yoga teacher; founder, Health Angel Nutrition, Fitness and Wellness; and founder, SMS (Stability, Mobility Strength) Intuitive Training System.
