Good Form and Weightlifting?

[dandman12]

Hi
Why is good form important when weightlifting and building muscle?
I know that using good form prevents injury but there's very little information on the technical reasons behind why it builds muscle faster.

Surely if I use less than good form I am building some muscle.

Could somebody please explain this.

Thanks.
Dan.

[joey54]

Hi
Why is good form important when weightlifting and building muscle?
I know that using good form prevents injury but there's very little information on the technical reasons behind why it builds muscle faster.

Surely if I use less than good form I am building some muscle.

Could somebody please explain this.

Thanks.
Dan.

How much doy you weigh?

[nockits]

Well, there are 1 reason that I can think of off the top of my head. If you don't use good form, you're not utilizing the muscles properly or efficiently. Think of it as "cheating". Sure, you'll move the weight around, but the muscles you're supposed to use won't get the best benefit.
But the biggest reason is to prevent injury, especially when you go on to lifting very heavy weights.

[Bodypumper]

I hate it when you see the guy next to you just jerking and trying to go as fast as possible. Elbows are everywhere and the backs all out of line. Just take your weights nice and slow and work on how you lift and not how fast you go. Remember to throw in a few negative presses too...

KK

[BigTallOx]

I hate it when you see the guy next to you just jerking and trying to go as fast as possible.

Moving the weight as fast as possible in itself is not bad form. There is a benefit to developing explosiveness.

Remember to throw in a few negative presses too...

I wouldn't do that, IMHO.

[mcdonough9395]

When you have good form you are lifting the weight in the most efficient way possible. So if you are trying to continue to make gains having good form will allow you to lift the most weight. And if you continue to add weight with bad form you will inevitably get hurt.

[DrDudley-Robey]

The simple reason is that weightlifting takes time, if you get injured it sets you back. No lifing due to injury - no Gains!

[dumbbell]

Most important reason would be injury prevention. The longer that a person is able to lift the more opportunity there is to develop muscle. I would say that mechanical efficiency would be next. Think of the body as a collection of levers moving the resistance through space. You want to be able to move the most weight possible with the least amount of wasted energy.

There is a time for cheating (intentionally using less than perfect form). But that comes only after learning perfect form and making it habit. Once a lifter becomes more advanced and weights become very heavy cheating on the last rep or two of the last set can be a method of increasing workload. It should NOT be done until after proper form has been mastered. Lifting as about getting stronger, not stroking one's ego.

[Hannan]

What is a good form for recording weight training? ... In:
Exercise, Weightlifting, Weight Training and Strength Training

[rbtrout]

To the OP - proper form builds muscle more efficiently and allows you to lift more weight. Proper form also helps stave off injury.

To Hannan - I use Excel and build my weekly routine on Sundays. I then print out the entire week's routine. I cut it up, fold it up and put that small paper in my pocket with a golf pencil. I record what I lifted on that paper. When I get home, I enter it into the spreadsheet. There are also training log books for purchase at many places. Many don't like to carry around a book, since I always have a gym bag with equipment in it, I could do either. I just got in the habit of small paper and a pencil in my pocket.

[AKMass]

rb- I think Hannan is a spambot...Either that or he's just a guy with odd typing style. But if he is, I'm not sure why he's advertising garage door openers and apartments in his sig.