Dan Wirth - Cheating on Exercises Dan Wirth -

 

Good morning athletes and warriors!
My clients have often heard me refer to "allowable cheating" to move a certain weight on certain exercises. Although first and foremost we want to use the best form that we can, there are instances where you might swing a weight or use your lower body a little on an upper body movement to help you push through thresholds in strength and all of the good things that go along with that increased strength. To get down to some more detailed guidelines in this area; here US Sports Online Strength and Conditioning's Director of fitness Dan Wirth
-Nate


Dan Wirth - Cheating on Exercises Dan Wirth -
Dan wrote this advice in response to a US Sports Online Strength and Conditioning Systems member's question. It has been edited for use as an article.

To cheat, or not to cheat. That is the question! It's actually a great question to ask, because you have to be aware of your exercise technique to ask it in the first place! Most people aren't even aware that they alter their technique (cheat) on everything they do, thereby sacrificing proper muscular development and safety. The main reason people cheat on their exercise technique is that it allows them to use more weight or to complete a set of repetitions when fatigue starts setting in. But, cheating goes much deeper than this in the relms of training lore :) Let me explain.

There are three main categories of cheating:

Category 1: Green Cheating - This type of cheating is usually used by someone that is just starting out with a training program, hence the term "green". I mentioned this above and it's simply when a person does not know the proper technique in the first place. There are no ulterior motives to their cheating. They don't have an ego problem and are not trying to use more weight than they should. They are not using a specific "overloading" technique to stimulate additional muscle growth. They just don't know. This problem is easily fixed with proper instruction or by studying the exercise definition and video library at Fitnessgenerator.com/ussportsradio. Here are some common mistakes beginners make:

• Improper Breathing
• Maintaining Poor Posture
• Limiting Range of Motion
• Training Too Quickly

Category 2: Ego Cheating - This type of cheating is probably the worst because it causes injuries This person knows how to do things correctly but they don't because they just can't stand the thought of using less weight on an exercise. Doing things correctly and being able to isolate a muscle group takes more work. So, they continue to "throw" weights around and never seem to make any progress. Here are some common things "Ego" cheaters do:

• Arch their backs off the bench during a bench press
• Throw a weight up with their legs and back when performing bicep curls
• Bouce weight off a weight stack creating momentum to lift heavier weights
• Use short, jerky movements to complete the reps on a set

Category 3: Advanced Cheating - These type of people cheat for a physiological reason. There is actually something called a "Cheating Principle". A phrase that was coined by the great Joe Weider. Notice that I didn't say developed. It has actually been used by people forever, before he just put a name on it to sell a book or something! Anyway, there are times in a training program, if you reach a certain level, that you would want to overload a muscle at a particular joint angle or during a particular movement. Eccentric loading, for example, is a term that describes emphasizing the down phase of a lift such as lowering the barbell during a bicep curl. But, in order to lower the weight you first have to lift the weight.

This is where it gets tricky. The advanced cheater would first use a weight that he or she could curl with perfect technique for 6 to 10 reps. Then, they would use their legs and with a certain rhythm be able to "pop" the weight up. Once the weight was up they would slowly lower the weight for 4-5 seconds back down to the starting position. On the other hand, the ego cheater would start their training program like this and never do a perfect rep!

Now, this type of training is not for everybody. You actually have to learn the proper technique of cheating so you don't kill yourself in the process! For most of us however, it is probably best to stick with the fundamentals. You can never go wrong if you learn how to train correctly and you stick with it!

Dan Wirth M.A., C.S.C.S.

Fitness Director (US Sports Online Strength and Conditioning)

Director of Strength and Conditioning

The University of Arizona

Athlete/Coach Resources... Do you care about your BRAIN? EHT Supplement for the Brain, Discovered and Patented at Princeton University Endorsed By Professional Athletes! The World's Best High School, College, and Pro Athlete's Highlight Reels and Training Videos. The 91 Exercises Every Athlete Should Know! Add 10 Inches Or More To Your Vertical Leap-The Jump Manual StrengthCoach.com BodyByBoyle OnlineShapeShifter Yoga Discount Sports Supplements

US Sports Recruiting Assistance. Athletes! All Registered Athletes Will Have Their Huddl Or other Highlight Video Reel Priority Posted on Our Athlete Highlight Video Reel Center! We have Thousands Of College Coaches and Recruiters Visiting Our Network Daily. Get More Exposure With US Sports Recruiting Assistance! For just a one time fee of $25 we guarantee your highlight reel will be seen by over 5000 coaches, recruiters, and administrators. Check out the US Sports Elite Athlete Highlight Reel Center: Sign up for US Sports Recruiting Assistance here.