FORM Vs. WEIGHT- The Great Debate

Technique vs. more weight. Another topic that the strength industry is vastly divided on. Some will say, “don’t ever add weight until your form is 100% perfect!” while others shout, “It doesn’t matter, move the weight however you want to.” Both of these viewpoints are extreme. Like most concepts, there lies a gray area. Emerging research has sparked some new conversation and insight. 

“Bad form” may not be as dangerous as we once thought- but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter. 

Pain is multifactorial- but that doesn’t mean technique doesn’t play a role. 

Learning movement patterns is important, but that doesn’t mean you can’t gain strength simultaneously. 

Want to learn more? Let’s dive in deeper below.

1. What is “proper technique?”

Your technique is the posture adapted before and during a load is being lifted- simply put, it’s *how* you move during a rep. “Proper” technique can have a different definition depending on who you ask, but it is often defined as the safest and most optimal way to move a weight. Proper technique is also dependent on what the goal of an exercise is. For example, a Weightlifter who is training for the demands of their sport may execute an Overhead Press differently than a Bodybuilder whose focus is hypertrophy. Execution is determined by purpose. 

Now, it must be stated that one’s “optimal technique” can differ depending on the person. Form looks different on different bodies. General guidelines apply across the board: you want to brace in your squats, engage your lats in your deadlift, etc.- but outliers also exist. For example, one individual may benefit from a wider stance squat, another may find a narrow stance most comfortable- the grip width, degree of toe out, bar position, etc., may change. 

The general standards of technique are based on biomechanical principles for human movement-anatomy, physics, etc. Modifiable factors and differences exist beyond those standards, which is an important consideration.  

Basically- proper technique is what’s safest and most optimal for the individual, their goal, and some aspects may differ for different lifters. Form can require testing and experimenting- one may change their mind over time, which is normal! The exact way you squat today may change in a couple of months or a year.

2. Will bad form injure you?

Ah, the age-old question. Until recently, you’d hear from almost everyone that poor form was a death sentence. However, this viewpoint has been questioned and reconsidered.

Pain is multifactorial. Pain can be influenced by anxiety, stress, sleep, nutrition, training volume, frequency, job dissatisfaction- a multitude of things, but also lifting technique. Additionally, pain and injury are not the same- one can be in pain but not injured, and vice versa.

Simply put, form is only a single factor, and we don’t have extraordinary evidence supporting the belief that a misgrooved lift will ruin you.

We know that lifting is a relatively safe activity, and it has many health benefits- from improved cognitive function, reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, improved bone health, reduced disease risk, etc. 

We also know that not enough people are strength training. Creating too many arbitrary “form standards” or fear-mongering can deter people from engaging in this healthy behavior! A commonly stated reason for NOT strength training is “I don’t want to hurt myself,” and statements such as “If you don’t do this, you’ll blow your back out!” “If your squats look like x, you’re asking for an injury!” can cause harm. 

The reality is, that one specific position or posture likely won’t immediately cause an injury. Even those lifting with "perfect form" can still get hurt.

When moving things in daily life, we don't worry too much about technique. Rounding your back to pick up a pencil off the floor isn’t/shouldn’t be enough to cause an injury, and trying to avoid that position altogether can lead to weakness. Humans are meant to move and can adapt to many different positions. The outcomes are just slightly different when you're under hundreds of pounds of load.

The body adapts to stress placed on it, but an overload of stress can cause negative outcomes. With extreme deviations, that typically means your form isn’t as efficient as it could be. 

We don't have evidence that extreme technique is "safe" either. So, a reasonable conclusion:

-If you’re doing daily activities, don’t worry too much about your form or posture. 

-When you’re under heavy load? Some deviations from “optimal” may be okay, you may have technique breakdown here and there- but use it as an opportunity to improve. Frequency, volume, and overall weight are also factors at play when it comes to stress. Extreme positions should be avoided when possible to maximize efficiency & help the body adapt at a tolerable level. Don’t chase “perfection,” good enough is good enough- but also don’t chase extremes.

3. Why does technique matter?

We’ve been told for many years that technique is the most important part of lifting, but why might that be?

A) Movement efficiency-

From a strength standpoint, we want to move in the most efficient way possible. If your form is inherently making the lift harder for you, you won’t be able to move as much weight or achieve the desired effect. This may look different than a bodybuilder- who may want to move in a less “efficient” way to challenge a certain muscle group. That subject, however, is not my wheelhouse, so we are focusing on strength gains.

Different techniques allow you to move in a more or less desirable way.

For example, pulling the slack out of the bar in a deadlift, engaging your lats, recruits more musculature, maintains full-body tension, and helps you break the floor. This makes the movement more efficient.

Another example- utilizing your legs in the bench press reinforces your arch position, transfers additional force to the bar, and helps you push through a sticking point. This also makes the movement more efficient.

How you perform the lift can determine whether you’ll successfully achieve it or not. Technique has a direct impact on performance.

B) Safe Movement

It must be stated that Powerlifting has a relatively low injury risk compared to other sports. * There's also no such thing as "perfect form." Chasing perfection is a moving target and hinders you from productive training. 

The data is relatively unsupportive on whether one specific form directly leads to injury.

Why would this benefit be included then? Well, just because a misgroove deadlift may not directly cause pain or injury, doesn’t mean it plays zero role.

The body can only handle so much stress, and each factor builds upon another. 

We can use the information above to conclude that technique is important, but it’s not the sole cause of injury or pain. Modifying one's form may help improve one’s pain, and lifting in a certain fashion may help reduce discomfort in the future.

While the body can adapt to many circumstances, when too much stress is placed in one area/at a level that the body isn’t ready for, this can lead to pain. Load management is key when it comes to staying safe and healthy. When you're trying to lift really heavy weights, form is going to play a larger factor- since it's a larger stressor & you're handling weights that require a lot of connective tissue & muscle strength.

This is why we don’t advocate for lifting far outside of the typical standards: lots of deadlift volume with extreme cases of spinal flexion, excessive knee valgus in the squat, etc. While there may be a few lifters who have adapted to this technique, for most of us, it probably won’t feel great. Not to mention, it doesn’t foster the most technical efficiency for most, either. Focus on moving well, around the general standards of technique, to the best of your abilities. Some deviation isn't inherently bad, but don't ignore form altogether.

C) Competition standard 

A very important reason for us Powerlifters: form must be to the competition standard. 

If you don’t squat low enough in a meet, it doesn’t count.

Butt came up off the bench?

Knees weren’t locked in your deadlift?

The lift doesn’t count. 

By this standard, “proper technique” is very easily defined: whatever the rulebook of your federation states. While there is controversy around the rules of the sport, they serve the purpose of ensuring everyone is held to the same (or similar) rules & successful lifts are “fair.”

Training to competition standards will increase your chances of having a successful meet- which is the outcome we’re all looking for, right?

So, as a competitive Powerlifter, an aspect of “proper form” in your case is full-depth squats, comp-paused bench presses, and smooth-lockout pulls.

4. Can you work on both technique and strength simultaneously?

A common piece of advice you’ll hear is that if your form is off, you need to lower the weight until your technique is perfect. This statement can cause yet another barrier to lifting- especially for new lifters who may not have complete technical proficiency just yet. Again, it’s an arbitrary standard without much reasoning. Perfect technique doesn’t exist, and one can improve form and strength at the same time.

It always depends on the goal.

When you’re learning a new movement, starting with a lower load is a good idea. It removes the variables and possibility for error and allows you to get some practice in, with more focus. 

But, once you have a basic understanding of a movement, adding some weight should be okay-even if it’s not “perfect.” You can continue improving your technique with new cues and tweaks, even as you gain strength. The two are not mutually exclusive. Lifters do this all the time. Maybe on bench, you tend to lose lat tension on the descent, but you’re still making strength gains. So, your coach cues your lat tension, you continue focusing on it, and you progressively add weight at the same time.

Additionally, if there’s a specific technical weakness, a separate exercise can be programmed to help you address it. For example, using the bench press lat example, a slow tempo, Duffalo bar, or Dumbbell bench press can be implemented to help improve overall technique.

If at a certain weight, there’s extreme technique breakdown, a movement looks drastically different from lighter sets, feels wrong/off/painful, then lowering weight would be a good idea. It depends on the situation. Having a coach to guide you and recording your own training sets can be helpful, to gain insight.

In short, starting with a lighter weight when learning a new movement is a good idea, but things don’t have to look “perfect” before adding more. You can improve technique and strength simultaneously, but if something feels or looks off to you, lowering the weight on that day/with that lift to better focus on form would be a good idea.

The training world thrives on extremes, yet often, the truth lies in the gray area. When it comes to the “form vs. weight” debate, this sentiment reins true. Proper form can be defined in many different ways and holds different purposes in training depending on the goal of an individual. “Poor form” may not be as dangerous as we once thought, but that doesn’t mean it’s irrelevant. “Perfect technique” doesn’t exist- and you can improve technique while also gaining strength. This is a highly important topic for many lifters, and there are a lot of different perspectives out there. Remember, extremes usually won’t provide the best results. There’s no one right answer for everyone, but the middle ground is usually your best bet. 

Sources

*Aasa U, Svartholm I, Andersson F, Berglund L. Injuries among weightlifters and powerlifters: a systematic review. Br J Sports Med. 2017 Feb;51(4):211-219. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2016-096037. Epub 2016 Oct 4. PMID: 27707741.

** Lehman, Greg. “Revisiting the Spinal Flexion Debate: Prepare for Doubt.” Greg Lehman, Greg Lehman, 29 Aug. 2022, http://www.greglehman.ca/blog/2016/01/31/revisiting-the-spinal-flexion-debate-prepare-for-doubt. 

*** Washmuth NB, McAfee AD, Bickel CS. Lifting Techniques: Why Are We Not Using Evidence To Optimize Movement? Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2022 Jan 1;17(1):104-110. doi: 10.26603/001c.30023. PMID: 35024210; PMCID: PMC8720246.