One Bad Rep (Marc David)

Mon, 05 May 2003 20:17:46 GMT

One Bad Rep
by Brian Minogue

It was a workout like any other. My training partner had finished one set to failure of the squat, deadlift, weighted dip, curl grip pulldowns, and was in the middle of over head presses with a barbell. We perform the presses seated on a slightly inclined bench, pressing the barbell in front rather than behind the neck. He was using 2.5 lbs more than his last workout, and had finished eight reps.

I was seated behind him with my hands held up behind his upper back, to spot him if he started to lean backwards.

He pressed out the ninth rep slowly, struggled a little at the lockout point, and the lowered the barbell back to the clean position. He took two deep breaths, and started out on the tenth. His form was good until about three quarters of the way up, and then he started to lean back. I kept the pressure against his upper back to prevent excessive leaning. Then he began to twist slightly. His arms went back to far, and " POP!" , just like a gun shot. His right shoulder dropped and he let out a shout, bringing the barbell back down quickly. I shot up off the bench and grabbed the bar and lowered it down to his lap. His right arm was dangling loosely from his shoulder.

It was around 12:30 AM when the emergency room staff finally got his arm back in socket. Thankfully, the damage was not severe enough to require immediate surgery. In the long term, however, a procedure may be necessary to recreate joint stability. In the mean time, my friend and training partner has to live with pain, a confining sling, the frustration of losing ground in his strength training, and the inconvenience of work and recreation disruption.

I should point out that my training partner suffered a dislocation two years ago, and has had a " trick shoulder" ever since. It has popped out at least six times since then, in activities as varied as rock climbing and football. So obviously, another individual with a stable shoulder may not have suffered the same result from cheating out that tenth rep. Maybe, maybe not.

Good form is imperative on every rep, of every set, of every exercise, of every workout, that you do for the rest of your life. One bad rep is all that it takes to do serious damage, permanent in some cases, that will interrupt both your training and your life. The pain of an injury can be intense and severe, as in my friend' s case. Or it can be mild, and not noticed until sufficient damage has been accumulated, like slight lower back pain which increases over the years of arching on the top of a deadlift.

Never assume that your form is " passable" or " good enough" . If you do not have a training partner who is familiar with proper form on all the exercises you perform, it' s time to find a new one, or educate the one you have. But it' s not enough to rely on your training partner' s judgment. As in this case, I am aware of good form. I can point out a mistake. But injury can occur so quickly, as to make a word of warning too slow. You, as the trainer must match your persistence and zeal with intelligence and restraint. If you can' t get a rep in good form, you can' t get the rep. Keep pushing at the sticking point, but only generate motion in the proper pathway. Even a slight jerk, lean, twist, or arch is all it takes to inflict considerable damage on our all too fragile bodies.

The first step to good form is to select a comprehensive, but basic series of exercises to perform. Anyone who has trained intelligently or read truly informative materials knows what exercises are best. The squat, bentlegged deadlift, bench press or dip, chin up or pulldown, overhead press, barbell or dumbbell row, etc. Generate a routine which covers the all the large muscular structures.

The second step is to find a text or trainer which can instruct you on good form in the lifts which you have chosen. The book or person you chose should always emphasize safety over muscle gain. Texts or trainers that seem knowledgeable are not always, however, so you must err on the side of caution. The trainer should be able to physically demonstrate each step of the movement to you, and then critique your form. The text should include step by step photos. A written description is not enough!! If the writer/trainer is a well educated person, with a degree in kinseology, chiropractics, exercise science, etc. so much the better.

The third step is the learning stage. Starting out with light weights which allow you to perform several repetitions, well over twenty, you practice the lifts. Your initial sessions will need to be easy. Even if you have trained hard for a long time, any bad habits will need light weights and strict concentration to unlearn. Both you and your training partner will need to be agreed as to what constitutes good form, what cheating methods to look for, and to trust one another' s judgment. No screaming " My back is straight man!" When your training partner is just trying to point out a potentially dangerous cheating tactic.

The fourth step in developing good form is the progress stage. It is here that most of the mistakes occur. As you gradually add small weights, the tendencies to cheat, to struggle for that new rep no matter what the cost, start to appear. It is here that you must emphasize that only the quality reps count. Only the strict reps are safe and progressive. Never allow your trainer or yourself to become complacent or bored, so that you fail to monitor your movement performance.

My training partner will be out of training for several weeks. When he comes back, his poundages will be considerably lower both out of safety and necessity. Save yourself the frustration, pain, expense, and emotional anxiety that one bad rep can cause. It' s your body to save or destroy.

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