What is ego lifting and the dangers it poses
What is ego lifting? We’ve all witnessed that person in the gym either attempting to lift more than they can handle or pushing themselves to edge out one too many reps. The result? Terrible form and technique, which can be cringe-worthy to watch because we all know bad execution of an exercise can lead to injury. The confidence boost in trying to impress yourself or others is not worth the potential risk. Injuries can result from compensation occurring in other parts of the musculoskeletal system being over-utilized, the strain put on the muscles, joints, and connective tissue being targeted, and the wear and tear on the joints, tendons, and ligaments over time. Ego lifting not only increases your risk of getting hurt, it actually derails your progress and limits your potential of actually getting stronger.
The key principles to safe and effective lifting
There are several rules that have to be practiced to make your workouts safe, effective, and progressive. Following these principles will help you see the most growth in your training while perfecting how you move and use your body.
- Control: You must be able to own the movement by controlling the entire lift. At no point is it recommended that you drop the weight or rely on momentum to try to compensate for your inability to control the weight you’re moving, which is typical to see in ego lifting.
- Technique: You should be cueing the correct muscles to engage during the exercise to avoid compensation and stress on your bones and joints. This means you need to be aware of body positioning. Your joints should be stacked, your alignment should be correct and you should have a good mind and muscle connection.
- Range of Motion: You should be working on hitting your optimal end range of motion to ensure maximal recruitment of the muscles you are targeting and to place minimal stress on the joints and bones. If you’re unable to move with good mobility you may need to regress the load you’re using or the exercise itself.
- Avoid Pain: Pain is different from muscle soreness. You should never train through pain. Make sure to listen to your body. Pain is usually a sign that your form is off, you’re using too much resistance, or your recovery is lacking and you need to prioritize foam rolling, stretching, and rest days. (Read more: Stretching exercises for lower back pain)
- Posture: You need to always be practicing good posture when you lift to avoid injury. Think about keeping a neutral spine, shoulders, and hips parallel to the floor, chest tall and pelvis tucked.
Why patience and consistency matters in training
Achieving results doesn’t come from sporadic gym visits and pushing yourself to failure commonly seen in ego lifting. It requires dedication, consistency, and patience for gradual, steady, and consistent progress that accumulates into significant results over time.
If you learn to embrace patience and consistency in your training as well as maintaining the integrity of each exercise, you’ll achieve your fitness goals and far exceed your expectations of what is possible. Stay the course and don’t rush the process.
Approaching exercise with an understanding of proper form, body awareness, and mechanics trumps the pursuit of heavier weights or excessive repetitions, as it ensures safer and more effective workouts, reducing the risk of injury and maximizing long-term fitness gains.
At Leading Edge we lead with form and function
If ever you are in question about the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program or need some oversight to ensure you’re doing an exercise correctly our team at Leading Edge is here to guide you. We prioritize safety first and promoting good posture so you can maintain not only the integrity of the exercise but also the overall health and longevity of your body. Unlike with ego lifting when you maintain control and proper form through a movement you’re sending a signal to your central nervous system that you are capable fostering a foundation for safer and more effective strength-building. This translates into improved quality of movement in real life allowing your body to support you when you need it the most.
When we start with a new client we evaluate your posture and your gait. Then we pay close attention to your form, alignment, mobility, stability, and strength as you move through a series of different functional movement patterns. This analysis reveals areas of weakness, strength, tightness, restriction, and compensations for muscle imbalances. This comprehensive assessment serves as the groundwork for developing your program, allowing us to prioritize optimizing your movement without limitations or discomfort. It’s only from this place that we can construct a robust physique.
Interested in scheduling an assessment and first workout with us to take your training to the next level? Call or email us to book your free phone consultation with us so we can learn more about your exercise and injury history and map out a plan to get you moving and feeling your best!
How to progress gradually in your training
Once you have established a solid understanding of fundamental movement mechanics and achieving optimal form, it is time to progress. The goal should be to incrementally increase the resistance or intensity of your workouts to provide a challenging stimulus without compromising form. Here are 4 methods you can use to accomplish this:
- Increase resistance: You can do this by gradually increasing the load by 5-10 pounds every week or as you are capable.
- Adjust the tempo: You can also progress by adjusting the tempo of an exercise either by slowing it down or speeding it up.
- Increase your reps or sets: Adding more reps or sets to an exercise without adjusting the load is an effective way to train progressive overload.
- Reduce your recovery time: You can reduce your rest time in between each exercise or set to place an increased demand on the muscles you’re training.
Using these methods will help prevent ego lifting so you can achieve the results you’re after without the risk of overexertion or possible injury, which only leads to setbacks and frustration.
Feel free to schedule a free consultation call with the best personal trainers from New York for more information about workout plans tailored to your requirements or to discover how you can achieve the best results from exercising, regardless of your time constraints.
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