Going back into personal training in the commercial gym setting, I can’t help but notice all the bad technique that I view every day. With the new “tools”/equipment that has entered the fitness world; people take it upon themselves to experiment when they might be reading in their favorite fitness magazine. I get so frustrated when I see bad technique because coaching is in my blood. I want to go up to people at the gym and coach them up because they do not know any better. The exercises that I see the most errors in technique consist of the following:
- Kettlebell Swing: The kettlebell has made its way into your local commercial gym. From my observations, either people gravitate toward it or they stay away from it. To be honest, I think everyone should stay away from it. I think that the kettlebell shouldn’t even exist in the commercial gym because people do not know what to do with it. However, the human brain is smart enough to figure how things work.
The most common exercise that I see people doing incorrectly is the kettlebell swing. First off, people associate the movement of the kettlebell swings with a shoulder exercise because it mimics the same movement as a dumbbell frontal raise (or whatever it’s called). The kettlebell swing is a HIP/backside, glute, hamstring, and I lat (upper back exercise). If done correctly, the hips should generate acceleration into the swing and the lats/upper back muscles (in addition to gravity) allow the bell to swing back down in between the legs. So stop using your shoulders and learn how to use your hips. The kettlebell swing is a great exercise to increase power in the hips and it serves as a great metabolic conditioning (“cardio”) routine.
- Plyometric box jumps: I have no idea why people jump on it boxes that are half their size. There is an old saying in the strength and conditioning world that holds very true for individuals who are performing plyometric. The saying goes, “You must know how to land before you can jump”. I see people all the time jumping on to boxes and they do not know how to land. Discrepancies in landing technique can lead to faulty movement patters and injuries. Being able to decelerate the body is what makes a true athlete. Another saying that I’ll throw out is, “It’s not how fast you move, it’s how fast you stop”.
The best exercise to practice landings is to begin on top of the box. You will step off or jump off and land feet shoulder with the part, in an athletic stance (quarter squat), and land as soft as possible by absorbing force of the ground. Think about landing if you were to catch an egg with your feet. You want to absorb the egg so that you don’t break it. It is the same when you land; you want to absorb the force so you don’t break or injury anything important on your body. Lastly, be smart, don’t go and jump on a box that is three times your size. I mean what are you trying to prove?
- Cleans or any Olympic lift: Olympic lifting is by far the most complex movement in the world of fitness. There are so many things that are involved with the Olympic lift and it takes years of practice. I believe that the reason for the reason why people are trying to incorporate Olympic lifts into their workouts is because of the creation of Crossfit. Crossfit has given the non-athlete/fitness enthusiast to have a reason to perform cleans or any Olympic lift. The problem is that you cannot learn any Olympic lift by watching YouTube videos of Crossfitters doing the exercise. Furthermore, you can learn the exercise by seeing the whole movement done in real-time. There are several drills and progressions you must experience in order to perform the Olympic lifts correctly.
In conclusion, you cannot read your favorite fitness magazine or watch YouTube clips in order to master these exercises. One must seek a highly trained coach (like myself) in order to receive proper coaching on these movements listed above. I feel so bad when I see the kettlebell swing, plyometric box jump, and clean or any Olympic lifts done incorrectly. The gym is a place in which you better yourself both physically and mentally. Consider the proper technique if you practice the kettlebell swing, plyometric box jump, and clean or Olympic lifts in your exercise routine.
