Technique Matters
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Ever got frustrated at having slow to no results with your fitness goals, and wondered why?? Although nutrition plays the biggest factor in getting that killer body, along with other factors like getting enough sleep; your stress levels and other life factors - technique is one of the secret weapons to getting and maintaining your fitness results. Technique is not only for those who have the benefit of having one on one fitness coaching. If you’re one of the many people using online videos and/or coaching to get fitter – honing in on whether you’re doing things right - is essential.
In this blog post, I’m telling you what technique is; why it’s essential for your fitness and the technique basics of a few fundamental exercises.
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What is technique?
A simple definition of the technique of an exercise is the way in which you carry out or perform a particular exercise, so as to target a particular muscle or muscle group for the move you are doing. For example, the squat exercise targets the glutes (butt), hamstrings (back of the legs), quadriceps (front of the legs) and the core.
Why is good technique important for your health and fitness?
There are several reasons why good technique is essential for your health and fitness. If you are doing a squat exercise for example, doing it in the incorrect way will most likely lead to a whole range of problems which will deter you from your health goals.
Model Steph wearing outfit available from Fitness leaf. Photographer: Robbie Lall Photography. Stylist: Style by Zee.
1. Likelihood of achieving your goals
In reaching for your fitness goals, you're much more likely to achieve them by doing the correct technique when it comes to your exercises. Imagine investing time and effort into a great nutrition plan, the right workout gear and then completely missing the mark just by doing your exercises in the incorrect way? That’s a major bummer boo!
A great way to ensure your form is correct is by hiring an in-person fitness trainer or if you join one of the Fitness To A Tee customised, online coaching plans – I teach you personally how to correct your technique via video.
2. Sustainability
By doing your exercises in the correct way, it means that you can achieve progress and maintain your fitness results over a lifetime – as long as you remain consistent. One of my secret weapons in remaining fit and getting stronger at age 40, has been that I ensure that I’m doing the correct technique with all my exercises. When I first started training in my late teens, I invested in professionals who taught me how to do the correct technique and of course when I then studied fitness – I was able to understand exercise movements further.
Even as a trainer myself, I still see the benefit in seeking advice and mentorship from fitness and nutrition professionals with more experience than me, to advise on certain movements. I also continue to update my fitness education.
Photographer: Dartz Images.
3. Increase motivation
If you’re doing your exercise movements incorrectly and seeing slow to no results – this will really demotivate you and the chances of you giving up become higher. Correct technique will ensure that you get more "bang for your buck" and realise how life-changing exercise is for your mood, attitude and body.
4. Reduce or prevent injury and/or pain
This is definitely one of the most important reasons in doing technique correctly. If you are doing a squat with weights and placing undue pressure on your knees without realising it, this will most likely lead to pain and a long-standing injury.
One of the reasons why we exercise is to be able to boost mobility (move better) and with minimal to no pain – so ensure that you are doing your best to prevent taking yourself out of the workout arena due to an injury. One wrong move could mean you are medically unfit to train for a long time and no one wants that!
5. Save money and time
If you get pain or an injury, you will need to invest time and money in getting help with pain treatments, specialist appointments and so forth. Save yourself time and money by investing in knowledge in the correct technique.
Photographer: Steven Chikosi
What are some examples of good technique?
Be sure to check out the Fitness To A Tee #workoutwednesday video which I posted on Instagram and Facebook titled “Technique Matters”, showing you the most common technique errors which people make with some fundamental exercises AND ways you can correct them. In the video, I chose some key exercises which help in building your fitness: squats, push-ups, lunges, crunches and the plank.
For the squat for example, I showed that common errors which people make with technique are having the chest fall forward; knees caving inward and knees going over the toes. This sort of form puts heavy pressure on the spine and knees and can lead to serious injury.
I then showed simple ways to correct this, for example, by using a chair/bench behind you or a swissball against your back to guide you into better technique. Once you have used the bench or swissball for several weeks – you can then do a squat without the assistance of these items.
So whatever type of training you choose to do in your fitness regime boo – remember that good technique will ensure you reach for gold!! #yougotthis
For customised assistance with your technique and a structured, holistic approach to your fitness – ensure you check out the Fitness to A Tee 4 weeks Healthy Foundation plan by clicking here now.