The Importance of Correct Technique for Exercises

Exercise-related injury means you can't work out, stopping your progress toward your health and fitness goals. When starting a program or trying a new style of workout, learning correct exercise technique ensures you're working out effectively with minimal risk of injury. Even if you are an old hand at certain exercises, checking your form ensures you're on the road to health and wellness, not rest, ice and pain killers.

  1. Prevention Of Injury

    • Exercise is a risk-versus-benefit activity. Because you are moving your body, you chance injury during any form of exercise. But if you take the time to perform exercises properly, the benefit outweighs the risk. The most common injuries are musculoskeletal injuries that affect the joints and corresponding tissues, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By starting an exercise program slowly with realistic goals, and appropriate exercises, you decrease your chance of injury.

    Improved Range of Motion and Function

    • A good exercise program works every major muscle in your body through resistance exercise and stretching, as well as a cardiovascular conditioning segment. Addressing the major muscle groups also addresses your joints and their range of motion. Through proper exercise technique and consistency you maintain and improve your range of motion as you age. This minimizes pain and discomfort due to tight muscles and improves quality of life. Exercise with improper form and you can inhibit motion.

    Reaching Your Goals

    • Correct technique not only improves your overall fitness level and helps prevent injury, it also helps you reach your goals. Doing exercises the right way ensures that you are working the muscle group properly, or burning enough calories to lose or maintain weight loss. For example, squats target multiple muscle groups, making them an efficient exercise to work your lower body. When performing squats some people lock their knees, or snap them straight, at the top of the movement. Over time this can cause pain and damage, and you will have to remove an effective exercise from your program. Do it right the first time to support your health and fitness goals.

    Considerations

    • You are not expected to walk into a gym and know exactly what to do. That is where the experts come in. If you aren't sure of the proper technique for certain classes or exercises, just ask. Talk to your cycling instructor about how to set the bike for your body prior to your first few indoor cycling classes. Ask your step instructor how many risers you should be using. You can also hire a personal trainer for a few sessions to set up a weight training workout for you and teach you how to perform exercises with the correct technique.