Why I am a stickler for FORM during training sessions

I was training someone at the studio the other day and she was becoming annoyed with me that I was asking her to use perfect form when executing a movement during a set of repetitions. I was also asking her to use proper breathing during the lifts as well. She wondered why I was being so difficult.

Unlike so many other things that we do, weight training requires exact form so that one will not become injured. When a lift is done incorrectly over and over it causes injury from the repetitive motion. What's more, doing a lift without correct form repetitively will create a habit in training that will be difficult to break increasing the chance for injury later on. Some of these injuries take time to fully develop and over the course of time can become permanent or require surgery to correct.

I was thinking yesterday of how my training a client at the studio is so different from the way I do therapy at my office. I have always believed that there are many ways to find contentment and truth in our lives and have never felt that what I believe is always applicable to another's life. What works for one person may or may not fit well to another. I have rarely ever told a patient in therapy that their choices are wrong for them. It is certainly not my style to do so. However, when it comes to weight training and strength training there is a right or wrong way to do so. I feel it is my responsibility to make sure that at least when someone is training at the Mind-Body Fitness Studio they are learning safe and healthy techniques and form to prevent injuries.

I have seen too many examples of people I know very well from the local gyms who are now impaired or in constant pain all born from improper weight training form. Many times I will start a new client at my studio and I can see the results of what they thought was the right way to use weights and their impairments in functioning and mobility of movement. I believe a gym can never be too clean, too safe, or a trainer too mindful or too knowledgeable.

Now you know why I am being so difficult.