Body & beauty

Fitness Boost: Why quality is better than quantity

Personal trainer Anthony Mayatt explains the importance of good workout practice

Personal trainer Anthony Mayatt explains the importance of good workout practice
Hello al!l This month’s article is something that I am sure many fitness professionals drill into all their clients, yet I see it in gyms and fitness centres all the time. Consider this scenario: you see a man in a gym lifting heavy weights, but his back is arched and the whole body is rocking, because his whole body is trying to help him move the weight. He may come away happy he lifted a new personal best, but in the long term he is messing up his body because of poor technique and posture throughout.

Now, you don’t have to be a bodybuilder to appreciate the point I’m making here. It doesn’t matter what exercise you are doing – whether it is weights, toning or even just a plank on the floor! The first thing you need to do is get your posture in alignment.

Stand tall

Start by pulling your shoulders back and sucking in your stomach muscles.

Technique is vital. People are led to believe they need to reach a number of reps as quickly as possible, but you need correct technique first… then you can aim for that number.

Try this

Squats: Stand tall with shoulders back and stomach in, then perform a squat exercise correctly keeping knees above toes as you lower. Once that is easy, then add resistance (such as hand weights) but maintaining that original posture and technique. It is more beneficial to be doing an exercise correctly with less weight, than to be doing it wrong with more.

Remember everyone: exercise is about quality over quantity. Posture and technique must be in place first, before you start focusing on the weight and number of reps.

Article by

Anthony Mayatt

Personal Trainer

Anthony has been a personal trainer for nearly 10 years, during which he has worked with a varied clientele from students to celebrities! He is based in London travelling around...

Discover more

Article by

Anthony Mayatt

Personal Trainer

Anthony has been a personal trainer for nearly 10 years, during which he has worked with a varied clientele from students to celebrities! He is based in London travelling around...

Discover more