Everybody needs exercise. This is non-negotiable. If you have a body, it will be healthier and you will be happier when you move it regularly. Of course, your movement and exercise must have a proper technique…assuming you want to avoid injury, pain, and frustration!
While this may seem like common sense, it’s definitely NOT common practice. Step into any gym, or even many personal training sessions and you will see ridiculous examples of exercise techniques being displayed every day.
Let’s face it, not everyone likes going to the gym. I’m good with that. In fact, I often say to clients, “If you don’t like the gym, you never have to step foot in one for the rest of your life.”
Many people either think exercise technique doesn’t matter or that they are already doing things correctly
This point was driven home yesterday when I dropped in at Mount Royal University fitness center yesterday for a quick workout. My son was at a dance rehearsal on campus and I had a spare hour. It was the perfect time for a much-needed strength session.
Across the gym, there were multiple examples of people putting time and effort into their workouts, but poor technique was leaving a good percentage of their results on the table, and increasing their risk of injury.
The most frustrating example was a young muscular guy “teaching” his skinny workout buddy to lift. He was trying to be very helpful, but unfortunately, he showed exercise technique variations that were wholly inappropriate for the needs of his friend and also had technique flaws.
I want to make sure you can avoid these mistakes. Today, my goal is to provide you with simple tips, techniques, and videos for a few of the most common exercises you will find in any workout program or fitness class.
While the list isn’t exhaustive, it’s a great start. If you do these correctly, you will be light years ahead of most people in the gym (many personal trainers).
Squat Exercise Technique
Squatting is one of the most common movements in life. if you sit down and get up from a chair/toilet/bench, you are squatting. It’s also a staple in any fitness program.
There are thousands of variations, but they all share some common fundamentals. Squatting involves lowering your center of gravity by flexing at the ankles, knees, and hips (on 2 legs or 1)
There are 4 key technique cues to consider for a squat
- Feet flat on the floor, pointing forward, about hip/shoulder width apart
- Knees/toes pointing in the same direction (ideally knee pointed towards outside ½ of the foot)
- Maintain a neutral spinal posture throughout the full range of motion
- Sternum (mid-chest) should be aligned vertically over the arch/balls of feet at all times
That’s it. 4 things to consider. These technique tips apply to ALL body types. The range of motion and look of the squat will change if you have long/short legs, torso, etc., but get these 4 things right and you can be pretty confident you are in the right position.
Lunge Exercise Technique
Lunges are another extremely common movement in life, fitness, and sport. Common examples are in almost every sport (shuffle step, shot set-up in racquet sports, skating, etc.), but can be as simple as climbing stairs (particularly 2 at a time)
A simple way to describe a lunge is when the legs are split or moving in opposition and one foot is planted on the ground. Typically the heel is released on the opposite leg. Lunges can be in any direction (front, back, side, diagonal).
For technique, the great news is that lunges share the same 4 factors as the squat. They are just applied to 1 leg instead of 2.
Here are the 4 key technique cues to consider for a lunge
- Feet flat on the floor, pointing forward, about hip/shoulder width apart
- Knees/toes pointing in the same direction (ideally knee pointed towards outside ½ of the foot)
- Maintain a neutral spinal posture throughout the full range of motion
- Sternum (mid-chest) should be aligned vertically over the arch/balls of feet at all times*
NOTE: Because lunges are often more dynamic, and momentum is transferred from leg to leg, the chest may not be over the arch/ball of the foot during the entire motion. With this being said, the chest should get to the correct position at the “bottom” of the motion when the most force is applied through the body.
Push-up Exercise Technique
While push-ups are one of the most popular exercises, they are also the most common exercise to be done with poor technique.
This is because two major areas of stability must be effectively controlled to do a proper push-up. These areas are pelvic (core) and scapular (shoulder) positions. They are at the root of 90+% of push-up technique issues.
Here is a quick breakdown of the proper push-up technique
- Mid-chest aligned between palms (hands and nose should form a triangle)
- Neutral spine and pelvic position maintained throughout the entire exercise
- Start at a progression where you are able to properly perform a complete rep through a full range of motion with perfect form (Hint: Try a standing push-up)
Wrapping it up
There are many more nuances with each of these exercises (i.e. breathing, bracing, activation levels, progressions/regressions, etc.) but this will get you started.
The best thing you can do for your future fitness is to learn the correct exercise techniques and to move properly from a qualified and experienced movement coach.
The FRESH! Team and I would love to help you master these (and other) movements. Just book your FREE consultation session NOW!
Expert Personal Training and Lifestyle Coaching To Help You Thrive
Comments
I’m bookmarking this! I think I’ve pretty much been doing all of these movements wrong, and I never even realized it!
Most people dont! Thanks and good luck!
Just in time to reinstate my workout plan for the new year (I’ve been lax!). Thanks for including videos as I’m a visual learner and these help to improve my form.
You are welcome. We have a lot more videos on our Instagram and YouTube channels. Feel free to take a look!
I’m glad you included the squat video in this. I’ve always known it’s a great exercise, but I have never really been able to do it properly.
Glad that we can help! And thanks for the feedback!
These are great workouts and I love that you included videos. It’s always hard to start a new exercise without knowing how to do it correctly. I have a love-hate relationship with squats but man they make my legs burn so good! LOL
Maureen
Feel free to check out our Social channels for more free videos nad tutorials! Thanks for the feedback!
Thank you for these simple and easy exercise tips, techniques, and videos. I’ve seen some crazy exercise techniques at my local gym a time or two. It’s always great to have a resource like this for the most common exercises.
Thanks for the feedback Debbie, and good luck with your exercise routine.
Thanks for sharing the different types of techniques and explaining them. I think proper technique is important to prevent injury.
And to develop your body correctly. Thanks for commenting!
Technique is everything! I love the added videos to help illustrate the perfect technique!
Exactly Leslie. Thanks for commenting!
It is so important to have the right technique to prevent you from getting hurt while working out! Thanks for all of these great tips.
You are welcome Luna. We appreciate the feedback!
Very interesting post about gym techniques. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for commenting!
The importance of proper technique in exercise cannot be overstated. It’s a common mistake to assume that technique doesn’t matter, but this can lead to injuries and setbacks. I completely agree that taking the time to learn and master the correct techniques is crucial for achieving fitness goals and maintaining a healthy body. This post provides valuable tips on how to perform some of the most common exercises correctly, which is helpful for both beginners and seasoned gymgoers. Thank you for sharing this informative and helpful post!
You are very welcome Sonia, we are glad to help! And thank you for this awesome feedback!
I didn’t realize that I was doing some of these wrong until my husband and I started watching exercise training videos at home a few years ago and they walked through each move at the beginning.
Exactly Stephanie! Reaching out for professional help is crucial! Thanks for commenting!
You’re right! I don’t think much about technique. But I really need to correct the issues.
Good Luck Jennifer! And thanks for commenting!
Great post, love this as I do home gym. This post has good information and a guide that I can use. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for commenting!