Every day I see it… people who think they know what they are doing, and doing it
completely wrong! I have seen the young lads hip thrusting the bar to complete a
bicep curl, because they have too much weight on and don’t know the correct
technique. I have seen women squatting by slightly bending their knees and
leaning forward, then complaining their lower back hurts. I think the one that
gets me the most is the person that comes to the gym, does the same workout
incorrectly, week in, week out and then complains about a lack of progress.
Every gym has fitness professionals, so why don’t people ask? It baffles me. I
see people struggle, and when approached and given training suggestions and
tips, turn their nose up and ignore the advice given.   

So why is it bad if people exercise incorrectly? Well firstly they are not optimising the time used. For many people in this day and age, time is precious. Why then waste hours for minimal results? A well planned and efficient tailored programme is far better than showing up at the gym and cuffing a workout. An exercise programme will get results if followed. 

Secondly incorrect technique can lead to injuries. When completing a deadlift, if the back is not straight, the strain on the lower vertebrae is immense, and can cause serious injuries. Another issue with incorrect technique is that poor form can lead to only part of the muscles becoming toned and developed. For example, when squatting, if you do not go as low as you can, with a straight back, you do not activate all the quads, or the “glutes”. This means that an exercise that can build and tone the legs and bum will only tone the top quarter of leg, not doing anything for the rest of the leg or bum. 

Lastly overworking one part of the body. For blokes it’s the chest and arms, for ladies it’s the abs. Both do need working, but seeing the amount of lads with big chest and arms, but poor backs and matchstick legs, does make one chuckle. Overworking one body part and not working another can lead to serious injury and muscular imbalances. The lads that only work their chest and not their back will get a hunched look, as the chest muscles pull the shoulders forward. This can be very painful. 

The take home story is this: If you are not sure what you are doing or want to try something new, ask a professional!