Ok, you might not be doing it ALL wrong, but if you’re like me then you have probably noticed that whenever we start something new, we aren’t very good at it, and then we get better with practice. The right practice, that is.
Is there a way to exercise wrong?! YES! Should I care? OMG YES!
Ok, obviously exercising terribly wrong is bad for you, can cause injuries and you need to ensure you are using proper form (ever checked out the Instagram Account “@gymfuckery”? Yeah, ‘nuff said). I’m not going to go into form and technique discussions here, because it’ll bore you and that’s not the point I’m making today :)
What I’m referring to about getting the MOST out of your effort when you DO workout. I know I wasn’t getting the most of out it for a long time! I started exercising in order to become a better athlete, then I just because I knew it was good for my health. I worked hard and always sweat, felt tired, etc., but it wasn’t until I became a personal trainer, and then starting working around other very skilled and experienced trainers and coaches that I started learning that to get the BEST results, it takes more than just getting the reps done.
It takes intention in every exercise, every session. And if you want to get really crazy - out of your sessions as well. This means that with every movement, I’m thinking at least about posture (head, neck, spine, shoulders) and which muscles to engage to give me the results from the movement I’m doing. It’s not always perfect, but the goal is to move better every day.
Take squats for example. You can bend your knees and extend them, and you’d be squatting. But if you’re only thinking about bending/extending the legs, you will most likely get a great quadriceps burn, but you’re missing out on opportunity to make this exercise full body! Let’s say I’m holding dumbbells. I stand tall to start, and then I engage my core (how hard depends on how much weight I’m holding). Feet planted firmly in my squat position (which is different for many people), I think about holding my pelvis neutral with my core, bending at the knees and hips to lower down. I also SQUEEZE my shoulders back and down, so that my upper body is very stable. As I go to stand again, I think about pulling the floor apart with my feet, then squeezing my BUM first to drive my feet into the floor. I drive my knees outward to engage my glutes more, and at the top I give them a final strong squeeze. The whole time the shoulders and core are engaged, and my neck is always in line with my spine (not craning the neck, or jutting the chin forward).
This is true for most exercises - the more muscles you can recruit into the movement, the more effectively you are using your time (who has time to spend 2+ hours at the gym anyway!?). You will burn more calories and build strength in more areas. I’m a BIG FAN of multi-purpose exercises so that you can do less and get MORE. YAY!
Now, if you want to get really crazy about it (and I do!), then you can start to incorporate these intentions in everyday life. When I walk up stairs, you better believe I firmly plant my foot, engage the glute and squeeze to take the next step. When I pick things up off the floor (especially if they are heavy), I use a deadlift hinge. When I’m hiking or walking, I’m thinking about extending the hip using my glutes, to give them more work. Sitting in my car, I sit tall, engage my core, pull my shoulders back. The more you do these things, the more it becomes automatic for the body - so eventually you don’t really have to think about it!.
I need to caveat this post - this doesn’t mean you should OVER-THINK everything. If you are an athlete doing specific sport training - this post might only apply to you when you are working on strength building. But if you are like me and exercising to be healthy and feel strong in your body, then yes. We definitely want to get to a point where we move proficiently, and this only happens through intention and practice.
Now go move!
xoxo,
Leigh