Post: #1

Use a trainer? Coach? Bro?
Mirrors?
Lots of reading and YouTube?

I want to try different exercises and lifts, but I never know if I'm doing them right.

WIA

Post: #2

I used youtube and a friend at the gym. We would compare off the videos and correct each other as we needed to.

Also video each other. Used that to pick apart my form.

Asked advice from a guy at the gym who had good form and physique.

The staff has helped me out on a number of occasions, especially when it comes to stretching.

Post: #3

What sort of lift do you want to learn?

Before your workout, pick one or two lifts you want to learn and do them for sets. The weight should be light enough that it isn't too taxing, but heavy enough that you're not just whipping the bar all over the place. Keep the repetitions under 5 because form tends to break down with the higher repetition sets. Do that for a couple workouts until you feel comfortable enough to add weight.

Post: #4

@Hannibal

Basics with the barbell, Back squat, front squat and deadlifts.

I've been doing body weight and dumbbells for a few months now, but I want more

Post: #5

Start light.

Watch videos online, and even buy a book or two. It could make the difference between a good lift and an injury.

When you get the form down at light weight, then work upward. But don't put on more weight than you can lift properly.

Also, some people have their own version of good form. Our bodies are all different, and it's ok. Just make sure you know why the typical form is done the way it is done. For example, some aspects of good form exist to efficiently translate your effort to the bar, like deadlift stance. Others are there to keep you from hurting yourself, like keeping your ass from popping up in the initial portion of a deadlift rep. Don't try to tweak the latter category.

Post: #6

Here's a playlist from the Buff Dudes.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_...JlfD8ScnwW

I watch these every time I doubt my form. It's extremely easy to fall into bad habits in order to lift more.

I got some tips from my friends who critique my form as much as I they. Gotta make sure they aren't some skinny kids though.

Also keep a smile on your face when in the Gym, maintain eye contact, give a nod whatever.
I was doing this one day while doing Back, a guy came over to me and handed me a V-Bar and offered advice.
After accepting it, examining it and using it, I went over to him and thanked him since it wasn't just "Bro advice"

Post: #7

I'm a big advocate of German Volume Training.

Having done the program for 3 consecutive months, the sheer difficulty of this program will not only add muscle to your body very quickly (provided all other factors are optimal, i.e. nutrition, rest), but will really help to improve your form. It did with me.

The 40x0 tempo for compound movements (4 seconds for eccentric movement and as rapidly as possible for concentric movement) really forces you to have your form in check.

With the weight being around 60% of 1 rep max, I found that for the first couple of sets, I would focus on "feeling out" my correct form, and with the aid of the mirror (for squats and deadlifts), ensure that everything is moving in the appropriate direction. The reason why it's important to feel your correct form is because when you reach the final sets, you'll need to have both the discipline to maintain the correct form and while combatting the extreme muscle fatigue. Once you know how the correct form should feel, it becomes second nature, and you'll be able to focus more of your energy towards combatting fatigue.

The fact that you're doing 100 reps of an exercise will also accelerate the learning process for how you should be executing the correct form, provided that you are conscious of your body's movement and aware of how to correct your form if need be.

I've now switched to a strength program, and all of my numbers, solely due to GVT, have greatly increased, along with my confidence in my form.

Post: #8

At first you can use videos, mirrors, buddies to watch your form and correct you.

Once you develop the good form habit for an exercise, it's about consistency.

From then on, it's about developing muscle perception. Recognizing your muscles at work during the movement. Feeling the eccentric/concentric contractions, the elastic (I forget the proper term) transition between those contractions.

You recognize when your form is good without having to refer to others or a mirror, because you feel your muscles working how they should be (especially the stabilizing ones, keeping your back neutral during the squat and deadlift for instance).

I've been doing squats religiously the past year or so and I've developed this kinaesthetic sense, so I know feel my squat form is excellent. If there is one worry I have is deadlifts, because to push my body's limits and develop further requires some compromise of perfect form.

Post: #9

I used to work at Equinox gym as a personal trainer. Sadly the only thing I took away from that job was that I learned proper form on a bunch of lifts.

Post: #10

Have money? Pay for a good coach or a trainer, even if its once a week, even once a month to check your lifts. I could teach you to ski or snowboard in a few hours. Most people take several visits to the ski slope and endure lots of pain and injury to learn what I could teach them in a typical private one hour session, even a class.

No money? Use forums. Several forums offer 'Form Check' threads where you upload videos of yourself, and the members give you advice. Bodybuilding.com, starting strength forums, are good places to start.

Mirrors are a bad idea unless you like to watch yourself curl, which admittedly is cool. Reading and YouTube all help get you started, but a coach and real knowledgable feedback will get you there so much faster.

Post: #11

(12-31-2013 03:15 PM)travolta Wrote:  I used to work at Equinox gym as a personal trainer. Sadly the only thing I took away from that job was that I learned proper form on a bunch of lifts.

will you coach me on how to run game on some of the trainers there?

Post: #12

(12-31-2013 11:46 AM)WestIndianArchie Wrote:  Use a trainer? Coach? Bro?
Mirrors?
Lots of reading and YouTube?

All of the above.

Trainer would probably be the fastest way to learn.

Post: #13

Using a trainer is definitely the way to go. After I worked with a trainer for a couple years, I created my own training regiment and have seen massive gains. Whenever I have trouble with a lift or plateau, I just head over to his facility and ask for tips on how to improve. He is the only person I would ever listen to when it came to certain lifts and technique. I tried to absorb everything he taught me. That kind of knowledge is gold that will help you the rest of your life.

Post: #14

Getting a knowledgeable trainer would be optimal. It is extremely valuable when still getting the form for lifts down to have someone who can watch you and correct you when you do something wrong.

Also:
- I think my form for all my lifts has improved the most when I have been doing the big multi-joint movements like squats, deadlifts, and bench press. If you have good form on these exercises, the technique other smaller lifts gets much easier.
- Add some core stability exercises and stretching into your routine. Getting stronger and more flexible makes it easier to have good form on pretty much any exercise.

Post: #15

Read and implemented Convict Conditioning by Paul Wade (with minor help of gym instructors) - its about calisthenics.
Train Muay Thai, where I completely rely on the trainer.