How to do lifts properly

I put a suggestion in for a sticky explaining how to do lifts properly and explaining what muscle groups they work. I know a lot of you could help people out b/c I've read the funny things you see in your gym thread. Let's help people on here to know what they are doing so they don't end up being the subject of one of those posts!

I'll start w/ squats and stiff legged deadlifts, 2 of my favorites. Please add to the list!

Squats
Target muscles: Quadriceps
Synergist muscles: Gluteus maximus, adductor magnus, soleus
Stand w/ feet shoulder width apart, hold a barbell resting against your upper traps, keeping your back straight as you lean forward, while squating down by reaching back w/ your butt, bending both knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground, without your knees going past your toes. Hold then squeeze your glutes as you stand back up.

Stiff legged deadlift
Target muscles: Hamstrings
Synergist muscles: gluteus maximus, adductor magnus
Hod a barbell w/ overhand grip at your waist standing w/ your feet closer than hip width apart. Keeping your back straight, lower the weight towards the floor by bending at the waist, bend knees slightly(do not lock knees) hold bar at the bottom then squeeze glutes as you stand back up.
 
This'll never work, so many people are gonna have a different opinion; for a start I'd say the bar should be lower than the upper traps for squats and you should always aim to squat below parallel (like this Barbell Full Squat). And why the constant squeezing of your butt?

And read the sections called 'Torque Force' for a bit on knees passing the toes Squat Analysis
 
Last edited:
This'll never work, so many people are gonna have a different opinion; for a start I'd say the bar should be lower than the upper traps for squats and you should always aim to squat below parallel (like this Barbell Full Squat). And why the constant squeezing of your butt?

And read the sections called 'Torque Force' for a bit on knees passing the toes Squat Analysis

I love that website.

I agree with Typhon that many people will have different opinions on muscles works, and the RIGHT form for the exercise.

However, I do believe that something like this should be on a sticky. Who knows, maybe video clips, animation...etc??
 
check out the technique articles sticky. It could be a good idea to list what muscles the different exercises work, though.

I liked the squat analysis page! I'm gonna put that in the technique articles.

We would argue a lot about what muscles to consider synergists and what muscles to consider prime movers. and of course different variations. And prime movers and synergists would vary based on exactly how you perform the movement too...

EDIT: I liked everything except the 90 degrees thing.. that thing pops up everywhere.. how the body is positioned at 90 degrees will be very different from person to person.
 
Last edited:
Funny you should say that. I was thinking of doing the same thing ... just going through a bunch of exercises and posting 10 second vids of each exercise.

That would be helpful :)
 
Funny you should say that. I was thinking of doing the same thing ... just going through a bunch of exercises and posting 10 second vids of each exercise.

That would be helpful :)

There's no harm if people here post their own vids as long as they don't use pink weights and bad form. :D
 
Back
Top