{"id":59996,"date":"2017-07-06T07:15:18","date_gmt":"2017-07-06T11:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=59996"},"modified":"2017-07-13T17:01:28","modified_gmt":"2017-07-13T21:01:28","slug":"common-weightlifting-mistakes-barbell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/common-weightlifting-mistakes-barbell\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Mistakes You\u2019re Making with a Barbell"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"6
Photo: Twenty20<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s good news that you\u2019re weightlifting \u2014 and that goes double if your routine includes a barbell. \u201cThe barbell is one of the best pieces of equipment that will make you work the hardest and get you stronger,\u201d says Mathew Forzaglia<\/a>, a certified personal trainer at the Fhitting Room in New York City. Because it\u2019s so versatile (probably even more so than you think), you can adapt many of your favorite dumbbell moves<\/a> to use the barbell for a full-body workout.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not sure how heavy to go, stick to lifting just the bar. Even without adding weight (the bar alone comes in 35 or 45 pounds), you can really challenge your muscles, Forzaglia adds. And if you\u2019re new to weightlifting, mastering technique and form on the barbell is key before you start packing on plates.<\/p>\n

Too often, Forzaglia sees men and women make common mistakes \u2014 like using the wrong grip or not engaging your core. This can lessen the effectiveness of the exercise as well as impair your safety. That\u2019s why we\u2019re shining a light on the right form for six popular moves. Get ready to lift!<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>6 Weightlifting Exercises to Build Serious Strength<\/a><\/p>\n

Barbell Breakdown: 6 Common Weightlifting Mistakes<\/h3>\n

1.\u00a0Front Squat<\/h3>\n

Form break: <\/strong>Dipping forward as you squat
\nIf you\u2019re holding the barbell in front of your chest, poor form may compromise the strength needed to keep your chest up as you squat down, which pulls your body forward, says Forzaglia.
\nHow to fix it: <\/strong>Keep your feet a little further than hip-distance apart to stabilize you. Then, focus on keeping your elbows up to also keep your body in an upright position with your chest up.<\/p>\n

2. Bench Press<\/h3>\n

Form break: <\/strong>Using the wrong grip
\nUsing a wide grip taxes chest muscles. For newer lifters with a weaker upper body, this could\u00a0lead to a\u00a0shoulder injury<\/a>.
\nHow to fix it: <\/strong>The better way to grip the bar is to keep your hands\u00a0shoulder-width apart. \u201cNow you\u2019ll be much stronger. You can increase the weight you\u2019re lifting while putting less strain on your shoulders,\u201d says Forzaglia.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Ladies, Here\u2019s Why You Should Lift Heavy Weights<\/a><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Overhead Press<\/h3>\n

Form break: <\/strong>Letting hips go loose
\n\u201cThe overhead press is one of the hardest weightlifting moves,\u201d says Forzaglia. He likens it to lifting the world over your head. If your hips are loose, your butt will push out, and you\u2019ll arch your back.
\nHow to fix it: <\/strong>Stand in a natural stance (feet under your hips) with your core tight and hips engaged, holding a barbell on your shoulders. When your hips and core are tight, push the barbell straight up.<\/p>\n

4. Deadlift<\/h3>\n

Form break: <\/strong>The bar is too far away from your legs
\nStanding too far away from the barbell can pull you forward, which can hurt your lower back. \u201cThe closer you keep the weight to your body, the easier it will be to lift up,\u201d says Forzaglia.
\nHow to fix it: <\/strong>Keep your feet under your hips (unless you\u2019re six feet or taller, then\u00a0widen your stance). The barbell should be resting on the floor in front of you. Push your butt back and down as you hinge forward toward the bar. Hands should grip the barbell just outside knees. If you look down, your shoulders should be directly over toes. Pull the bar up with a neutral spine. As you stand up, the bar should go up your legs like a track (almost touching your legs). When you get to your knees, drive your hips forward to stand.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Strength Training for Beginners: Your Guide to Reps, Sets, Weight<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Front Rack Position for Squat or Overhead Press<\/h3>\n

Form break: <\/strong>Using full-grip right away
\n<\/strong>This one majorly burns your forearm and wrists, especially for newbies, says Forzaglia. You may give up on the move before you even start it.
\nHow to fix it: <\/strong>Keeping your hands just outside of shoulder-width distance is often more comfortable. A full-grip is having four fingers underneath the bar, but that\u2019s really difficult at first. Modify it by placing two fingers underneath, and adding one finger as your wrists start to feel more mobile. If you\u2019re doing a squat, remember \u201celbows up,\u201d especially as you\u2019re standing up out of the squat.<\/p>\n

6. Bent-Over Row<\/h3>\n

Form break: <\/strong>Jerking the bar to your body
\nWhen pulling the bar up, many people will jerk the barbell toward their body, riding on their momentum to lift the weight. On the way down, a weight that\u2019s too heavy will cause your shoulders to round forward.
\nHow to fix it: <\/strong>If you find you\u2019re jerking by rep five of a 10-rep set, the weight is too heavy. Take off 10 pounds to be safe. You can always add back on five pounds, if that turns out to be too light. You have the right weight if the last couple reps feel difficult, but you\u2019re not struggling to make it through the entire set.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Before adding weight, it\u2019s important to nail down proper weightlifting form with the barbell. Follow these expert tips to muscle through every rep with precision.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":71,"featured_media":60002,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6,14],"tags":[289,281,341,343,99],"class_list":["post-59996","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-strength-training","tag-exercise","tag-strength-training","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise","tag-weightlifting"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59996","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/71"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59996"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59996\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60002"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59996"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}