Weight Lifting Techniques

Masters in Exercise and Sports Science

Using proper weight lifting technique is a vital part of strength training. Failing to perform exercises correctly can lead to injury and can stall your fitness progress.

Learning Proper Technique

If you think your high school gym teacher taught you everything you need to know about weight training, think again! Exercise science has improved drastically and fitness experts know much more about proper weight lifting technique than they did just 10 or 15 years ago. If you're starting a strength training routine, it's always a good idea to spring for a couple sessions with a personal trainer. Not only an they show you proper lifting techniques, they can also watch your form and point out small errors in technique that you may not notice on your own.

If you can't pay for a personal trainer, spend some time reading up on specific exercises and watching training videos on the subject. There's a wealth of knowledge available, so take advantage of what's out there.

General Guidelines

No matter how you go about learning strength training movements, there are a few guidelines that are tried and true:

Always perform movements in a smooth and steady manner. Avoid rocking your body or "slinging weights" to help you finish a set of exercises.
Focus on and isolate the muscle group(s) you're exercising. If you really concentrate on the particular muscles you're working, you're likely to perform the movement with more accuracy.
Use a spotter when you try a new exercise or you increase your weight.
Breathe while lifting weights. Exhale as you perform the work of lifting the weight and inhale as you perform the downward, or "rest," phase of the exercise.

Specific Exercises

While there are hundreds of weight lifting exercises, improper form is common on some of the most traditional and well-known weight lifting routines. Perfecting your technique on the following exercises can halp you carry over your knowledge to most other lifts.

Squats

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with your feet angled slightly outward - once you're situated, you can increase the width of your stance if it's more comfortable.
Keep your chest upright and forward-facing with your shoulders squared throughout the movement; sometimes it helps to look at a spot just above eye level to remind you not to drop your chest toward the floor.
Push your hips backward and bend your knees as if you were sitting in a chair. Keep your heels flat on the floor.
Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Push yourself back to standing position by pressing your weight upward from your heels.

Pushups

When you get into a pushup position, make sure your body forms a straight line from your heels to your head. Avoid dropping your head down between your arms or pressing your butt up toward the ceiling. You want to keep this straight position throughout the exercise.
Lower yourself toward the floor by bending your elbows, stopping when your elbows form a 90-degree angle. Return to the starting position.
Keep your abs and hips engaged throughout the exercise to help prevent your back from bowing, which can lead to injury.

Crunch

Lie flat on the ground with your knees bent, your heels on the ground and your toes angled toward the ceiling. You should not have anyone hold your feet, as this focuses the movement on your hip flexors rather than your abs.
Place your hands next to your ears with your elbows pointing out, but do not grab your neck or head, which can cause you to pull yourself up.
Tighten your abs and look directly up at the ceiling. Use your abs to roll your body forward until your shoulder blades are no longer in contact with the floor. Keeping your eyes on the ceiling can help prevent you from using your forward momentum to "fling" your shoulders forward.

Dumbbell Curls

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
Pull your elbows into your sides and rotate your wrists so your palms face forward. You want to keep your elbows fixed in place against your sides throughout the entire exercise in order to isolate your biceps.
Lift the weight all the way to your shoulders without rocking your body forward or backward and return the weight slowly to the starting position.

Tips for Safety

The more you focus on proper weight lifting techniques, the more you'll benefit from your weight training program. If you're unsure of the right form to follow on a particular exercise, you can always look at weight lifting pictures to improve your form.

No matter what exercise you perform, remember that angles and fluid movements are important. Jerking and rocking motions typically prevent you from isolating the muscles you're working and can lead to potential injury. Similarly, bending your body in ways that hyperextend a particular joint can also cause more harm than good. A good rule of thumb when you're just starting out is to bend your joints no further than 90-degrees. This applies to a wide variety of exercises like dips, pullups, lunges, shoulder presses and more.