How well you do when you lift weights isn’t just a function of how strong your muscles are. There are many other factors when it comes to physical development and achieving personal records, including your state of mind, your dexterity, and your motor control. Perhaps surprisingly, however, one of the most fundamental of these is your posture. Small changes in how you stand, sit, or squat can make a world of difference. While improper posture puts unnecessary strain on your muscles and joints, holds you back from your best performance, and may even lead to injury, assuming the right posture can take your lifting to greater heights.
Athletes and physical enthusiasts across New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania know JAG Physical Therapy as their trusted local source for musculoskeletal care and fitness assistance. Whether it’s posture correction for lifting, return-to-sport rehabilitation after an injury, gait analysis, or beyond, our experienced and empathetic therapy team is passionate at helping you succeed in your athletic pursuits in good health. Book an appointment at your nearest JAG PT location today or see more below on posture tips for weightlifting.
How Does Posture Impact Your Lifting Form?
In general, posture refers to the ways you tend to position your body without thinking about it. When you sit at a desk to work or study and immediately slump forward to take a look at what’s in front of you, that is your posture in that situation. Specifically in weightlifting, posture is the placement of parts of your body, especially the torso, during all points in the exercise. Since weightlifting involves the coordinated movement of the arms, legs, hips, and sometimes other joints, where these body areas are placed relative to each other is highly important.
Good lifting posture ensures that the intended muscle groups are fully worked and that the mass is distributed evenly, not awkwardly, uncomfortably, or dangerously. The basis of this proper posture is aligning your upper and lower body around the centerline – your head and spine. Your back should remain straight while your chest stays forward, with your shoulders backward but not shrugged. The positioning of your hands and feet, however, can vary greatly depending on the type of lift you’re doing.
There are also aspects of posture you should pay special attention to from exercise to exercise. When you deadlift, take a moment to straighten your spine and keep it that way to avoid the common, potentially injury-inducing problem of a rounded back. Meanwhile, while squatting, remember not to lean too far forward so you don’t unbalance the load of the weights.
What Are the Risks of Poor Posture During Lifting?
If you make a habit of proper posture for lifting, it only takes a moment to check yourself and make sure you’re doing each exercise in your routine in the ideal way. However, with poor posture, it can take just as little time to get hurt. One lift in the wrong posture could cause a back muscle strain, a SLAP tear (damage to fibrous tissue in the shoulder), or even something as severe as a herniated disc. And if not corrected, poor weightlifting posture can lead to chronic issues like spondylosis (degeneration of the vertebrae) and shoulder impingement syndrome.
Even if you don’t get injured as a result, the wrong posture in lifting has other negative consequences. It causes mid-exercise discomfort and fatigue after your workout that can discourage you. Furthermore, posture-related lower muscle activation means you will not build strength as quickly as you should.
How Can You Correct Your Posture for Better Lifting?
The primary keys to lifting with good posture are active core muscles and a neutral spine. Remember that weightlifting posture revolves around your torso first. Your feet should be placed in the right position for the exercise you’re about to do – it doesn’t hurt to double-check – and should be planted firmly. Remember to look straight ahead, not too far up or down, so you don’t unconsciously move your back or your neck in the lift. If you’re unsure about your form, you can check it in a mirror, or even take a cell phone video of yourself.
The stretches that you do when you warm up and cool down are a great place to incorporate improvements to your posture. For example, the chest opener stretch is one way to keep your shoulders in alignment and prevent your back from rounding. To perform this exercise, interlace your hands behind your back, palms facing your spine, and raise your arms behind you close to perpendicular with your torso while pushing your chest out, holding for about 5 seconds per repetition. Meanwhile, the ground hip flexor stretch is an overall effective support for lower body posture. Start in a kneeling lunge position – front leg making a right angle with the knee directly above the ankle and back knee and toes on the floor. Keeping the top of your chest and your head up, slowly lean forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your hip, holding for 30 seconds before switching sides and repeating.
Why Should You Seek Professional Guidance for Posture and Lifting Form?
General advice on body positioning and stretching can improve your workouts overall and help you prevent some posture-related lifting injuries. However, everyone’s body, musculoskeletal system, and exercise style is unique, so there’s no substitute for one-on-one professional advice. Assessment by a physical therapist can reveal internal problems such as muscle imbalances you may not have noticed, and correct these issues before they lead to lasting damage to your body. Your PT can also help you break long-term bad posture habits, determine the causes of pain from lifting or lack of progress, and suggest new or altered techniques that will make your performance better.
Improve Your Posture and Lifting Form with JAG Physical Therapy
If you perform weight training as part of your chosen sport, or as a fitness activity in itself, you will always want to improve on your last session. Continuous betterment, whether that means gaining more muscle mass or beating your lifting record, is only possible if you use the best techniques.
If you’re struggling with form or workout-related pain, the team at JAG Physical Therapy has the compassion to understand your needs and the skill to recognize and treat your lifting concerns. Schedule your appointment now to get started with fitness guidance that will help you be your best at the gym.