Comfortable Or Correct?
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Human beings are creatures of habit. Every day we respond to thousands of demands on our bodies from without & within and so, being somewhat efficient creatures we automate many tasks of the more mundane variety, allowing us to focus our attention elsewhere. Over a surprisingly short period of time this can give rise to many aches, pains & stresses which can easily be avoided with a bit of knowledge & attention.
Pay Attention!
For instance, we don't usually consider the way we are stirring a cup of tea; it is enough to know that it is being stirred. However we pay a great deal more attention whilst doing something we might consider more complex or dangerous, such as carrying the same hot tea to the table while balancing it on a tray. Even during these more complex tasks though, we rarely pay attention to what our bodies as a whole are doing. If we need to pick up a heavy object most of us concern ourselves only with getting it off the floor, even though we have all seen those irritating workplace diagrams (see right picture) showing us how to lift heavy objects safely. The question of whether we are comfortable or in fact unduly straining ourselves only enters our heads if we are in pain as a result of our action.
This is one of the key reasons why there is such a risk of injury from incorrect exercise. In our desire to get one more rep or to lift a weight that is just a little bit heavier than usual, the question of how we are achieving our aim is completely forgotten. The emphasis placed on good form vanishes in comparison to our emphasis on results.
Tension & Effort
One of the chief ways that our bodies communicate that a position or movement is less than ideal is through tension. Tension should not be confused with effort. Tension is the result of a muscular contraction which produces no movement, also known as an isometric contraction. Tensing your arm to show off your bicep muscle to girls is not the same as performing a bicep curl.
A bicep curl requires muscular effort from the agonistic muscle (in this case the bicep) but the arm is able to move smoothly as the opposing antagonistic muscle (in this case the tricep) is relaxed. When we tense our muscles we are generally contracting both agonistic & antagonistic muscles at the same time. This type of contraction is extremely inefficient as the two muscles are fighting against each other and so a great deal of effort is wasted.
Isometrics
Isometric contractions are not a waste of time though. Isometric exercise is widely accepted as the most effective way of increasing strength in any given position. Many athletes use isometrics to help learn proper positioning when moving, increase strength at weak ranges of motions, correct posture and increase their mental toughness. This is all good news for those using isometrics effectively but unfortunately not for someone who habitually holds unnecessary tension.
Because isometric contractions are a very effective way of improving strength in a specific position, positions that are reinforced with tension can quickly start to feel comfortable, as the muscles holding that tension quickly become stronger & therefore better at reinforcing them. After a while these positions become habitual and will not change unless something (usually pain) forces them to.
NB: Click the picture on the right for some classic examples of effective isometric training methods!
Proprioception & Body Awareness
Learning to detect unnecessary tension is a skill and, like all skills, it requires practice to become good at it. Because we become so absorbed in whatever we are doing, turning our attention to how we are doing it is difficult. Obviously examining ourselves during simple tasks is a good starting point. Are you craning your neck while reading this? Slouching? Squinting? Is there excessive tension in your lower back, shoulders or upper thighs? Starting to pay attention to the way you use your body in this way will gradually lead to an improvement in your proprioceptive sense, which is your ability to recognise the relative positions and use of all your parts.
Cultivating this awareness will not only help you to correct bad habits more effectively on your own, but is also invaluable when learning any new physical skill. While performing more complicated movements the use of a mirror or a wall to give you feedback can be a very effective tool. During exercise, feedback from a partner or trainer who has some skill in knowing what to look for will help to ensure that results are being achieved safely & efficiently.
All this has the added benefit of making exercise something that will improve quality of life in a more general sense, going beyond mere improvements in strength or cardiovascular fitness towards a greater awareness and control of how we use our bodies. Plus, by reducing the risk of injury it makes exercise something that is more enjoyable for longer.
- Author: Steve Peters
- Sources: None
