Proper form or heavy weight?

[big_swede]

What is your priority, proper form or heavy weight?

[big_swede]

This is a good question actually, when you have managed proper form and know your body and limits, weak point and so on, it is by all means ok to add lbs and go sloppy. Just play it safe.

I sometimes bounce the bar in benchpress, i do power shrugs with half rom sometimes, and my bb rows tend to get more upright when going heavy. Its the heavy weight that chocks your cns and forces your body to grow, not doing light reps standing perfectly still and focusing on "mind-muscle" and other BS.

Proper form is something you should master, but not depend on.

IMO.

=)

[Carl1174]

like you said i think as long as you know the proper form and know how to 'not' use it then a bit of body english is ok to get a heavier weight up there for the last couple of reps. But for me its mainly form over weight 90% of the time. But yeh shrugs i have sometin=mes done as heavy as possible, straop myself to the bar and if it moves its a rep type of thing and it definitely helped my trap development.

Carl.

[IronManlet]

For me it is both. I don't really focus on a MMC when I do shrugs, for example. They're a pretty simple movement up and down, and you'll get a lot of benefits from overloading your Traps. On squats though? Or deadlifts? Good luck even trying to complete the lift if you don't do it right.

[Abaddon]

Form, mostly. If I am doing a 10 rep set, I might fudge the form on the last 1 or 2 reps, but that's it.
Bad form = You're Doing It Wrong.

[big_swede]

Originally Posted by IronManlet

For me it is both. I don't really focus on a MMC when I do shrugs, for example. They're a pretty simple movement up and down, and you'll get a lot of benefits from overloading your Traps. On squats though? Or deadlifts? Good luck even trying to complete the lift if you don't do it right.

Right about the squat and deadlift. Those are the "dangerous" lifts and should be executed with proper form. Dipping the bar just a bit while squatting is ok imo, as long as back is arched.

The total back arch in deadlift is not a must for me as long as it is more arched than bend forward and that it stays tight.

[IronManlet]

Originally Posted by big_swede

Right about the squat and deadlift. Those are the "dangerous" lifts and should be executed with proper form. Dipping the bar just a bit while squatting is ok imo, as long as back is arched.

The total back arch in deadlift is not a must for me as long as it is more arched than bend forward and that it stays tight.

Right. What I meant is that there are some exercises where a certain form must be used in order to lift any kind of heavy weight. You're never going to deadlift a lot by simply walking up to the bar and trying to heave it up without knowing how.

There are also certain things, like a back arch in a squat, that are just no-brainers. Your back can't support 500 pounds bearing down on it without flexed and tight back muscles.

On the flip side, it's not going to kill you to do a kip in one of your pull-ups at some point; or use some leg drive on a particularly heavy press. I think most intermediate/advanced lifters have enough sense to determine where and when they should or should not cheat.

[BendtheBar]

I do as many reps as possible with good form. I'd rather add clean reps than cheat a dirty rep, especially when playing with heavy weight.

With that said my rows, curls and shrugs are explosive movements which are often misunderstood as cheat movements.

One can certainly call into play some momentum on the last rep or two for certain movements, but I only recommend this for the experienced lifter. You should only break form once you have mastered form and know your own body.

[Abaddon]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I do as many reps as possible with good form. I'd rather add clean reps than cheat a dirty rep, especially when playing with heavy weight.

With that said my rows, curls and shrugs are explosive movements which are often misunderstood as cheat movements.

One can certainly call into play some momentum on the last rep or two for certain movements, but I only recommend this for the experienced lifter. You should only break form once you have mastered form and know your own body.

An explosive curl I've never seen.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by Abaddon

An explosive curl I've never seen.

Then I will officially welcome you to the party...

YouTube - 300lbs CHEAT curl and reverse grip strict press

YouTube - 300lbs CHEAT curl and reverse grip strict press