Proper form

I just wanted to share this info with whoever needs it, and I welcome whoever have any inputs about this topic.
I am guilty as many many many people out there of doing lots of mistakes while working out/lifting weight.

One of the things I've seen so many times is people putting so much weight that right from the first and second rep they need someone else to help them with the weight. To me, that's non-sense. If you can't with that weight, put less weight. The fact someone else help you lift it, it means you're not really lifting what you think you are. And I don't mean getting help by the last or couple of last reps.

Another thing I constantly see is people dropping the weights while lengthening the muscles; meaning, if you're doing lats pull downs, don't just let the weight go fast and then pull down back. Studies have proven that during the eccentric contraction (muscle lengthening) is where the macro-tearing of the muscle fibers occurs which is the intention when lifting weights and trying to gain muscle mass. The protein we eat repairs those macro-tearing and help the muscle mass get bigger.

Know your muscles. Knowing the muscles will change your workouts forever. Knowing the primary muscle of a movement, they synergist groups, all of that will make your life so much easier.
For example, those who think that the Biceps Brachii primary function is to flex the elbow, I'm sorry to tell you but you are wrong, the primary function of the Biceps Brachii is the supination of the forearm. The Brachialis muscle, one that is underneath the Biceps Brachii is the primary muscle on the elbow flexion. The Biceps Brachii is a synergist to the Brachialis, which means it will still work while doing elbow flexion.
Like this, there are many other muscles that our intention is to workout to make them bigger and you might just wonder why is not working... Maybe you're just doing a form for another muscle and not directly or primarily affecting that muscle you want.

I hope this is of the interest for most people here :)
 
Another thing just came to my mind, full range of motion. Some, if not most people, don't do a full range of motion workout being afraid they won't be able to lift the weight again. For example, while doing biceps, most people go half way, specially when they have the elbows supported, and then they contract again. This, not only creates memory to the muscle, and being one of the reasons why some people out there are not able to extend the elbow all the way, but also it doesn't allow the muscle to do a full extension/contraction while working out. Of course, I am not saying that there shouldn't be a small bend on the joint by the end of the extension, which is not the same than just going 135 degrees.
 
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You mention the biceps a lot. They are very small muscles and yet you have people in the gym who spend the whole session doing curls and 7's etc. There is already a techniques article but if you can give your own example and a vid of a compound movement, it would mean more than just empty talk of "proper form" or "ROM".
 
I'll be taking a vid to explain what I mean, since I really don't consider what I posted "empty talk" about proper form. Maybe you know how to workout properly, but I've been going to the gym 5 days a week for 12 weeks or so and I see lots and lots of people around me that I'm surprised they aren't injured.

I have mentioned the biceps just as I can mention any other muscle. A lot of people complaint, about not making the biceps grow enough (I was one of them till not so long ago) and is all due to the reasons I explained there among other reasons.
 
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