This is a post about lifting technique and when it really matters. We have previously published an article about how to lift with a sore back. In that post we looked at a number of myths about technique in heavy lifts and our back. You can read the article by clicking here. In short, it says that lifting technique has very little to do with injury risk and pain. The message we wanted to get across is that lifting, and training, is not dangerous however you do it. The body is robust.
This can, however, be interpreted to mean that lifting technique never matters. Many people get confused by that, as it is something they have always heard in training. When we discuss whether technique is important or not, we have to define which context we are talking about and what you want to get out of the training. Quite simply, we can divide it into three categories:
- Lifting technique with regard to injury risk
- Lifting technique with regard to performance
- Lifting technique with regard to training specific muscles
Lifting technique with regard to injury risk
We have already written about technique with regard to injury risk and pain. The technique you use matters little. It is about preparing the body for what it is exposed to, and the most important thing will be to build up gradually, whatever technique you choose. With or without a rounded back. The body is more robust than people tend to think, and handles heavy lifts well without being specially prepared for them.
Lifting technique with regard to performance
When it comes to lifting technique for performance, it is a little different. If we picture the deadlift, where a bar is to be lifted from the floor, technique plays a very important role if we want to lift as much weight as possible. Here we want to put ourselves in the most efficient position possible so that the bar has to be moved the shortest possible distance. In addition, the muscles that are to contribute have the best possible conditions. We can, for example, adjust how high you start with your hips, to what extent you round your back or not, and what your timing in the lift is like. Adjusting your centre of gravity in relation to the bar, lever arms and other factors can matter a great deal. Technique is not important for being able to train the deadlift safely, but it is important if you want to become as strong as possible. Practising technique can give faster progress and better results, which in turn can make training a lot more fun.
Lifting technique with regard to training specific muscles
When we train, we may also want to load specific muscles as much as possible. For example, when we train for muscle growth. If we take the deadlift as an example again, we can make adjustments to get more load on the desired muscles. If we want, for example, to train the hamstring muscles (back of the thigh) as effectively as possible, we can usefully limit how much the knees bend and try to keep the back as straight as possible. This means that we place a large stretch on the hamstrings and minimise the help we get from other muscles. This is important when the goal is muscle growth, because we want the muscle we are training to be the limiting factor. An exercise that seemingly looks the same can often be done in two very different ways, with different demands on the muscles involved.
Summary
A good way to look at lifting technique in strength training is to understand that there is little you can do wrong with regard to injury risk. As long as you have a sensible amount of training, build up gradually, and avoid very uncontrolled movements, there is little danger of injuring yourself. The risk associated with not training is much greater!
Once you have got started with training, however, it is natural to assume that you want results that are as good as possible, whether that means getting stronger or building muscle. This is where technique comes into the picture, as it can help you train more effectively and make sure you train what you actually want to train.
Snorre at Fornebu and several of our other practitioners have good experience of strength training and particularly good expertise when it comes to lifting technique. Get in touch with them for advice and guidance if you need it.
References
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- Bernárdez-Vázquez R, Raya-González J, Castillo D, Beato M. Resistance Training Variables for Optimization of Muscle Hypertrophy: An Umbrella Review. Front Sports Act Living. 2022 Jul 4;4:949021. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2022.949021. PMID: 35873210; PMCID: PMC9302196.
- Androulakis Korakakis P, Wolf M, Coleman M, Burke R, Piñero A, Nippard J, Schoenfeld BJ. Optimizing Resistance Training Technique to Maximize Muscle Hypertrophy: A Narrative Review. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2023 Dec 29;9(1):9. doi: 10.3390/jfmk9010009. PMID: 38249086; PMCID: PMC10801605.
- McMahon GE, Morse CI, Burden A, Winwood K, Onambélé GL. Impact of range of motion during ecologically valid resistance training protocols on muscle size, subcutaneous fat, and strength. J Strength Cond Res. 2014 Jan;28(1):245-55. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e318297143a. PMID: 23629583.
- McMahon G, Morse CI, Burden A, Winwood K, Onambélé GL. Muscular adaptations and insulin-like growth factor-1 responses to resistance training are stretch-mediated. Muscle Nerve. 2014 Jan;49(1):108-19. doi: 10.1002/mus.23884. PMID: 23625461.