Mastering Exercise Technique: The Hidden Key to Muscle Building

You already know that good exercise technique is crucial for preventing injuries, but did you know it also plays a vital role in muscle building? Let's dive into the fascinating world of exercise technique and its impact on muscle growth!

The Power of Technique

Person: Why is exercise technique so important for muscle building?

Helder: Great question! Technique affects body and limb positions, which, in turn, influence the turning forces, also known as torque, at each joint. These changes directly impact the mechanical stimulus that a muscle experiences during training.

A Glute-Dominant Squat

Person: Can you give me an example of how this happens?

Helder: Absolutely! Let's take the squat as an example. If you lean forward during a squat, with your knees behind your toes, the load shifts from the knee extensors to the hip extensors. This turns the squat into a more glute-dominant exercise, challenging your glutes more than your quads.

Person: So my glutes get more of a workout than my quads in this case?

Helder: You got it! That's why understanding the right exercise technique for your specific goals is crucial. Work on your form and break bad habits. When done correctly and intentionally, you'll see faster progress!

Maintaining Proper Form

Person: I sometimes struggle to maintain proper form when lifting heavier weights. Any advice?

Helder: Maintaining form under heavy weights is challenging. If your technique starts to break down during a set, drop the weight to ensure you hit the target rep range (5-8 reps) to failure without compromising form.

Person: Makes sense, but what if I don't feel like my form is shifting?

Helder: Ah, yes! Form breakdown can still occur without us realising it. That's why I'm a fan of videoing my working sets. It allows me to spot any form discrepancies and make adjustments. Identifying true progressive overload is crucial, so we know we're pushing ourselves in the right direction.

Embrace the Power of Proper Technique

Mastering exercise technique is the hidden key to unlocking your muscle-building potential! Take the time to learn and perfect your form, and you'll witness incredible gains in no time! Let's achieve our fitness goals with intention and precision!