One of the goals of any strength training routine is to obviously get to the point of lifting heavier and heavier weight.  This feat can be accomplished in many ways.  The most obvious is to build muscle.  The more muscle one has, the stronger he will be.  But that is only half the equation.  Another way to be able to move heavier weight is to become more efficient in the way you perform any given lift.

Yes, we can cheat during some lifts to make the lift easier or we can add things like weight belts, lifting suits or wraps to help us move more weight.  The problem with these for the average lifter or athlete is that cheating always leads to injury because we sacrifice form to lift more weight and in real life situations, we don’t have the benefit of special gear to help us.

So what does becoming more efficient mean?  I have heard people in the past say that our goal is to improve our form so that the lift becomes easier.  That kind of thinking is flawed because the name of the game is to become stronger and to do it safely.  We don’t what our time in the gym to be easy, we want the times during real life situations to be easier because of the strength we have build in the gym.

Lets use the kettlebell overhead press as an example.  By kicking out the hip under the kettlebell being pressed, by packing the shoulder and screwing our feet into the ground, we make our bodies more efficient machines and able to produce more power, thus enabling us to move a heavier weight then if we just picked up a kettlebell and without any thought, pressed it.  In essence what we have done is lifted smarter.  We are now able to lift more weight without cheating our employing belts or wraps which in turn makes us stronger by building more muscle.  And, we have done it safely and done everything we can do to avoid situations that make us prone to injury.

And of course, we can also do things that make the press harder like standing on one leg or pressing in a seated position.  Neither of these scenarios are designed to at ease to the lift.

So, don’t think of using good technique as a way to making strength training easy, think of it as a way to make you a more efficient and effective lifter.

Kill it,

Dennis

P.S. – Have a question about anything I’m doing, email me and I’ll be more then happy to answer it.  ironkettlebellfitness@gmail.com

Before entering into a fitness routine, especially one that incorporates kettlebells, be sure to consult with your physician or medical professional to be sure you are healthy enough to begin a strength and conditioning regimen.  Be sure to learn the proper way to perform each lift and complete each exercises in strict form employing a spotter when applicable.  In other words, if you hurt yourself, it’s your fault.

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