What does it mean to have "good form" when lifting?

You've probably heard this numerous times in the gym or from the errant eavesdropping on a personal trainer (and if not, run for the hills!). Form is referring to how well a movement is performed within the expectations of that movement's most optimal and efficient biomechanics. This means that it is always a goal to strive toward. To have your movement look the exact same from rep to rep is the best possible outcome.

The ability to repeat the movement exactly each repetition means a few significant things:

1. You have good muscular endurance

2. You have good muscular strength

3. You have good movement control

4. Your mobility is excellent and allows joint freedom

5. Your brain has learned the most efficient pattern for that movement

This means that you need to have control through the movement, strength is not something that occurs by accident. Controlling the movement means you don't "flop" at the bottom or top. You are in control from start to finish. From how your knees move in a squat or how your wrists punch the ceiling in a press.

My first recommendation for "good form" is that whatever movement you are doing (Squat Variations, Pull-Ups, Bench Press, Deadlift Variations, Olympic lifts, etc.) is that the spine must be stable while the weight and limbs move around it. If that sounds foreign to you, have no fear, I'll explain.

The spine is a grand design, multiple segments (25 really) that are supported by a suspension system (discs and ligaments) to help hold and disperse centrally (axially) loaded weight. An axial load is really just fancy talk for weight that is spine centered and fights the pull of gravity in the straight line that is from head to toe. A barbell on your shoulders, overhead, held in your hands as close to your body as possible is what you should be thinking of here (there are more examples, we'll stop here for now). With this understanding of how the weight is loaded and dispersed, its important to understand that when weight to be moved is farther away from your body's center, the more difficult it will be to move regardless of how heavy it is. When you're able to keep in mind that the weight should be centered, it will be easier to prevent an intervertebral disc herniation, back strain, or SI joint sprain.

Now that good spinal loading is achieved, we need to talk hip and shoulder mobility. Since the spine is situated between the shoulders and hips the mobility of those 4 joints is crucial for control of that joint. I'm not using the word "flexibility" because it pertains more to the muscle and less to the joint; with good joint mobility and movement control, flexibility will follow. The squat for example requires hip mobility so that your spine and torso can drop down the center. That movement requires control by the hamstrings, gluteal and quadriceps muscles.

Here is a great explanation by Marcus Filly on the subject of mobility and flexibility: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6M8VnP-eI4

How can you achieve such fluency in movement? Practice. The ability to approach separate segments of a lift with the shortening (concentric) and lengthening (eccentric) aspects. An example of this can be thought of around a pull-up. Typically, the concentric portion of a pullup is practiced, where you pull your body up to a bar, lower down and repeat. The focus here is to pull using your back muscles and thinking about pulling your shoulder blades down and elbows to your sides. Unfortunately, the lowering segment gets the short end of the stick and you simply drop down to get to the next repetition. That's where I would like to focus - the eccentric aspect of a pull-up. This one begins with jumping or standing on a box to allow your body to be at the top flexing motion of the pull-up. From here the key is to slowly descend through the pull-up for about 3-5 seconds. Strength gets built through the latissimus dorsi (big back muscles), biceps, and rotator cuff. The benefits to this kind of strengthening is that you are stressing the tendons in ways that will help prevent tendinitis or a repetitive strain injury on the involved muscle. Signs and symptoms of a repetitive strain injury are an achiness in muscles that does not go away with rest, soreness that does not go away with stretching, and in rare cases, light bruising in the region of the muscle belly. Tendinitis usually presents with some burning pain with movement, usually located around a joint where the muscle attaches to bone.

The way I choose to practice the art of Chiropractic is to incorporate myofascial release, and trigger point release in addition to the adjustment to help with muscle recovery, reduction of tendinitis, and aid in the healing of muscle strains. When the muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones are in agreement and at their highest potential for use, its easier to push into greatness without potential injury.

If you're interested in learning more about lifting or how chiropractic can help you, contact me via email, call or text and lets talk. If you've made up your mind and want to schedule, click firedupchiropractic.janeapp.com for an exam and treatment time.

I look forward to meeting you!