Is Proper Lifting Technique Overrated?

If proper technique is not required to lift heavy objects, than I expect to grow wings with enough Red Bull consumption. At least that’s the way I felt when I initially saw the article titled, “Training On The Correct Way To Lift Heavy Objects Does Not Prevent Back Pain”.

As a former sufferer of low back pain this article quickly caught my eye. As I read further into it, here’s what I found out: There were 11 studies done on health workers who handle patients, baggage handlers and postal workers who all have jobs that put strain on the low back. The subjects that participated in the study were all healthy and did not suffer from any low back ailments.

The workers were divided into two groups, one group had proper training on how to lift correctly and other did not. The groups were studied for a year, the study found that there were no differences in the two groups when it came to low back pain. So no individuals from either groups suffered low back pain.

According to the study, lifting correctly had no indication of preventing low back pain. Seriously? Isn’t that like saying one group was told to smoke and the other was not and after a year they found no evidence of lung cancer so smoking doesn’t cause cancer? What the @#%?!

This is what aggravates me about this type of study. The study is completely skewed! I see a ton of people that lift incorrectly in the gym, some of them have their back so bent and contorted that you’d think they were trying out as a contortionist for Cirque Du Soleil.  Most of them probably don’t have back pain (yet), but does that make it better and or less susceptible to getting injured than others who have experienced back pain caused by improper lifting?

Trust me, if they had back pain they wouldn’t be lifting like that. That’s the thing about pain - once you have it you’ll do whatever it takes to get out of it. If someone told me that wearing a pink tutu would help me avoid pain, I’d have no problem wearing it…well, at least in privacy. But seriously, for most of us it means going back to the basics and relearning how to lift correctly. 

This is why I’ve always been a big proponent when it comes to proper lifting techniques. And it’s not just for the obvious reason of avoiding injury. It’s also for stimulating the proper muscles to maximize your gains. Listen, if I’m going to take the time to go workout, I’m going to do all the exercises the right way and get the most out of each one. Why bother half-assin’ it? If you can increase the benefits by doing the exercises properly wouldn’t you do it?  

Since the article was mainly focused on movements that require picking things up off the floor that can cause low back pain, I’ll focus today’s tips on that.

Here are a few tips that I always keep in mind when I’m doing movements / exercises that require the use of my low back:

Picking things up off the floor, like the Deadlift - When I’m picking a weight up off the floor, I make sure that weight is directly below my chest and shoulder blades. Then I make sure that my low back is straight, my knees are bent, my stomach braced, and my lats are tight. When I pick the weight up, I make sure to keep the weight as close to my legs and body as possible. I concentrate on distributing the weight evenly along my feet and than I extend my legs and low back at the same time. I literally have check points that go through my head every time I lift. It may seem over the top, but it’s kept my back pain free for over 10 years, so I’m not about to change it.

That said, the New Year is here and many of you may be chomping at the bit to get back into shape or just get back into your regular workout routine after taking a break over the holidays.  But keep this in mind:  Fitness is a like a marathon.  Start out with a good pace but don’t get burned out from over doing it—or worse yet get injured and be forced to slow down or stop.  And remember, consistency is key!  It’s better to do things correctly and reap the rewards at the end than skimping out at the beginning and paying for it later.

Exercise properly, workout hard and get your sweat on!

2009 is going to be a great year for fitness…are you in or are you out?

About The Author

Shin Ohtake is a widely recognized strength coach and fitness & fat-loss expert. His unconventional, no-nonsense approach to getting fit has made him the go-to source for fitness enthusiasts and trainers alike. Shin is also the author of the world famous, MAX Workouts book, which has transformed and reshaped the bodies of thousands of people across the globe - without requiring hours in the gym. To learn more about how MAX Workouts can help you achieve your fitness goals, visit maxworkouts.com.

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