Good technique is learned and paramount for all of us. When we continuously do things a certain way our body grooves motor patterns and sees the movement as normal.

Depending on how long we have been doing things a certain way will be a determining factor in how long it will take to correct. Technique correction is not about getting it right the first time, it’s about constant re-enforcement on how to do it right until your body gets it. Sometimes this takes more time than we would like. That’s when practice, patience and perseverance is the key. Sometimes we might falter into our old patterns and so continuous cuing to do things correctly is paramount.

So why is good technique important?

1. You will get the most out of your workout and there will be a greater transfer of exercises to your life outside the gym
2. Decreases risk of injury, over time as new neuro-muscular patterns are lay we will naturally hold better posture and use better technique
3. Improved posture and alignment, you will more naturally hold yourself better

What are the stages of learning good technique when training?

1. Learning and repetitively doing basic movement patterns with correct technique and corrective exercises appropriate to correct faulty technique
2. Building a strong foundation and whole body stability
3. Increase muscular endurance
4. Build strength
5. Develop power, speed and agility

These stages can overlap each other, but it’s paramount for EVERY individual to train through the stages to get the most out of their training sessions and therefore the most out of life. The rugby players agility is going to be vastly different then someone in their 60’s…but even as we age we still need agility. An example would be if a car suddenly rounded the corner and you had to quickly step back, having agility could mean the difference between stepping back and pulling a muscle or stepping back safely!

Training with a qualified trainer is one of the best ways to learn proper technique…but practice makes perfect. Make sure that you practice holding good form and technique when  moving outside of the gym. Every day we squat, push, pull and move in various directions: so make every movement count!