EXERCISE TECHNIQUE IS KING IN THE GYM
by COACH JAMES CANNING
Poor technique and exercise execution is the number 1 reason why people training in gyms across Abu Dhabi don’t see any results. In fact you just need to go train in any gym across the world to see 80% of the members struggling with exercise technique. Most people going to the gym believe they have not built any muscle or lost any fat because they have not found that magical programme on bodybuilding.com yet. Or, that they were not doing the correct rep range and number of sets.
I see this mistake time and time again. Let me be clear, it doesn’t matter how many reps and sets you do. Or how many sets of chest you do. If your technique is poor and you're not engaging and keeping tension on the target muscles then you will not see results in the gym.
At Elite Fitness we strive to educate and teach our personal training clients what is the best technique for each exercise. Our expert coaches know that training programs and exercises mean nothing without proper execution on every single exercise and rep.
When it comes to training at Elite Fitness our coaches focus on the 4 T’S to help our personal training clients maximise every exercise within their individualised training program.
So what are the 4 T’s to help you improve your technique on every exercise in the gym?
Target Muscle:
When you do an exercise it’s crucial you have an understanding of what muscle or group of muscles the exercise is designed to target. This will give you more of a mind muscle connection which helps with muscle recruitment in the target muscle. For example, If you are performing a DB Chest Press but you can only feel it in the triceps and front deltoids. Then you know that you will need to adjust your technique or change the exercise to target the correct muscles.
Technique:
Now that you know the target muscle. The next important aspect of the exercise is to understand the correct technique. The problem is, you can know the target muscle. But If you perform incorrect technique you will not be creating tension in the target muscle. Poor technique will prevent you from building muscle and changing the shape of your body. It will also set you up for injuries later down the line which is why at Elite Fitness our coaches focus on ensuring our clients perform every exercise with their best technique.
Tempo:
The speed at which you lift the weight and the length of time it takes you to perform each rep has a huge impact on your results and safety on each exercise. There are 4 phases to every rep. Controlling these 4 phases will ensure the target muscle is under tension for longer which has been shown to help build muscle especially the eccentric phase which is when the muscle is lengthening and when the weight is being lowered. There are certain exercises where tempo becomes crucial not only for building muscle but protecting the joints.
Tension:
Lastly we come to tension. You must feel tension in that target muscle from start to finish on every single rep. If you are performing an exercise and you can’t control the tempo from start to finish whilst creating tension in the target muscle, then you are not getting the maximum muscle building effect from that exercise. A muscle only knows tension it does not know the weight you are lifting. Only you can see the weight.
Now there is a fine line when it comes to tempo and tension. Some people lift too light and therefore can’t get any tension in the muscle. Some people lift far too slow which is also counterproductive at some point to the amount of weight you can lift which is also important. It’s about finding a good balance of just the right weight and controlled tempo to create tension in that target muscle to get a strong enough stimulus for the muscle to change.
This is where the skillful eye of an experienced personal trainer is worth their weight in gold. They can see when you are lifting too heavy or lifting too light. However, at Elite Fitness our coaches never compromise technique for weight on the bar because our experienced coaches know that TECHNIQUE IS KING!