Lifting weights can be an effective way to build muscle, enhance your physique, and improve your performance in other activities like boxing or jiu-jitsu. However, to fully enjoy the benefits of strength training, it’s crucial to practice proper lifting techniques to prevent injuries and maximise the results of your training sessions at a powerlifting gym in Melbourne.
In this blog, we’ll discuss tips and guidelines required to help you master safe lifting techniques while training at a your chosen performance gym.
Seven Tips for Mastering Proper Lifting Techniques
What does it mean to lift correctly or use the proper technique?
If you’re new to strength training or just could use some help fine-tuning your lifting practices, these seven tips can help:
1. Warm Up Before Lifting
Don’t skip your warm-up. Even if you’re short on time and want to get in and out of the gym as quickly as possible, you should still warm up before getting into heavier lifts.
Your warm-up is a critical component of your overall workout. During your warm-up, you increase blood flow and lubricate the joints, which reduces your injury risk as you move into heavier and more complex exercises.
Your warm-up also gives you a chance to focus and identify potential issues.
For example, you might notice that your shoulders feel a little tight or your knees are a bit stiff while warming up. In those cases, you might decide not to push yourself to your max during that session.
Conversely, if you feel great during your warm-up, you might decide that this is an excellent time to push a bit harder.
2. Maintain Proper Posture and Alignment
Pay attention to your posture during your workouts, especially as you begin increasing the amount of weight you’re lifting. Here are some standard posture and alignment guidelines to keep in mind:
- Keep your spine straight (avoid rounding or arching your spine)
- Keep your neck neutral (don’t extend or flex your neck to lift your head up or down)
- Maintain a neutral gaze (don’t turn your head or look around while lifting)
- Move with intention and control (don’t rush to do as many reps as possible)
Generally, you should also avoid twisting or tilting to one side, unless you’re doing an exercise like a woodchop that specifically requires rotational movement.
3. Use an Appropriate Weight for Your Skill Level
Many people get hurt during their weightlifting workouts because they try to lift a heavier weight than what they can safely handle.
It might be tempting to increase weight rapidly, especially if you’re trying to keep up with someone else in the gym or are eager to set a new personal best. Lifting too much weight increases your chances of getting hurt, though.
If you injure yourself, you may have to take time off from the gym altogether to recover — which will prevent you from progressing on your fitness journey and could even set you back.
4. Breathe Correctly
How you breathe can make a big difference in your ability to lift heavy weights safely. A general rule of thumb is to inhale before you start the movement, brace your core while lifting, and exhale as you finish.
Bracing your core involves creating intra-abdominal pressure and engaging all the muscles of the trunk for maximum stability.
Many people make the mistake of sucking in their stomachs when trying to brace their core. Sucking in doesn’t provide the stability and protection you’re looking for, though.
Here are some tips to help you brace properly:
- Breathe in deeply, expanding the rib cage all the way around
- Pull the rib cage down and make sure the ribs and pelvis are stacked on top of each other
- Think about exhaling while blocking your throat with your tongue (this allows you to create intra-abdominal pressure and rigidity in the core)
It might feel strange at first, but it’ll soon become second nature — and you’ll be impressed at how effective this strategy is at helping you lift more weight.
5. Focus on the Muscle Groups Being Worked
When performing a lift, from a squat to a bench press, think about the muscle groups being worked. Keep your mind on those areas of the body to strengthen the mind-muscle connection and get more out of your training session.
6. Avoid Sudden or Jerky Movements
Remember to move with intention and control. If you make sudden, jerky movements, you’re more likely to throw yourself off balance or injure yourself, even if you’re doing an exercise you’ve done 100 times before.
7. Seek Professional Guidance and Advice
If you’re not sure that you’re doing an exercise correctly, or if you just need a little extra guidance, talk to a professional.
A personal trainer can assess your form and offer suggestions to help you improve. You’ll be amazed at how minor adjustments can improve your performance and help you lift more weight.
Be sure to ask for help when you’re working toward a new personal best, too. Having a spotter nearby can give you extra confidence and ensure you don’t take on more than you can handle, potentially injuring yourself or someone around you.
In2 Performance Fitness Centre Melbourne
It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned pro, at the beginning of your fitness journey, or anywhere in between.
In2 Performance Fitness Centre Melbourne offers a state-of-the-art fitness facility with elite equipment and 24/7 access to help you achieve your health and fitness goals.
In addition to an expansive, 5000-square metre Melbourne fitness centre, we provide access to experienced trainers — including accredited sports scientists — who can share customised training programs, guidance on proper lifting techniques, and more.
Level Up Your Lifting at In2 Performance’s 24/7 Fitness Centre
Mastering proper lifting techniques is essential for your safety and progress toward your long-term goals.
At In2 Performance Centre, our trainers and sports scientists will build upon the lifting tips discussed in this guide to help you fine-tune your approach and get the most out of every workout in a premier Melbourne strength training facility.
If you want to learn more about our fitness programs and services, or even arrange a tour of our strongman gym, reach out today.
