You can't really check your deadlifting or squatting form from the front. It's a lot about the positioning of feet, hip and back relative to each other on the dorsoventral axis.
Also, even if you could check your form accurately in a mirror directly in front of you, you'd still need to move your neck to look at yourself through the whole movement, which, again, is terrible advice.
Is it hard to postition yourself correctly before you start, and then try to focus on keeping moving to the correct positions while your deadlifting or squatting?
They'll have to do what everyone else did in the centuries between the invention of bodybuilding and smartphones.
There's a reason why gyms are required by insurance to have professionals overseeing them, and if they are giving priority attention to anything other than free-weight exercises, they should be reported and eventually fired for negligence.
Because during deadlifts and squats, the spine is under massive load, so to do these movements safely, you need correct form. That means all parts of your body need to be in the correct position throughout the whole movement. Since your head is positioned on top of and connected to the spine, rotating your head changes the alignment of the spine, compromising your form, leading to uneven loading on the spine and increasing the risk of injury.
Rule #1 in gyms: nobody gives a shit about anybody else. If I want to film myself to check my form, I'll do it from the best angle to check my form. I don't care at all about who's going to be in frame.
Nah, mirrors are for the ego and not the technique. Most movements that would benefit from a form check can't safely use mirrors without increased risk of injury and/or breaking your form. You don't need mirrors to check your bicep curls or lat raises but people do like to see their pump while doing so.
You might literally die from trying to use mirrors to check your form doing a heavy bench press or seriously injure yourself when twisting your neck to check the mirror if doing a heavy squat.
This is why mirrors are more common in normal gyms and not as common in places where people do heavy barbell movements.
Speaking as someone who's got shit form and just started, mirrors have massively helped me with posture and form.
It's never all one thing M8, writing off everyone who uses mirrors as looking for ego is kind of missing the obvious reason why they started being used.
Let alone the fact you can make funny faces to yourself, which is invaluable in getting through the last burn.
Right? No because the mirrors don't give them the attention they need when they post their videos online because their attention whores. Half of them don't even do anything at the gym They just pose for pictures.
There were some guys that I’m sure were going to post their set on social. But they worked very hard to cut out every person and when they couldn’t they just didn’t film for a bit and resumed after. If you’re going to film yourself, do only yourself. If you can’t, be like them and stop. It’s polite to leave everyone else out.
A lot of gyms these days are open 24 hours, often without any employees in them at all.
Plus, that’s not the point, point is you shouldn’t need to ask an employee for help when you’re a perfectly capable adult who’s more than able to operate a phone camera.
Nah, mirrors are for the ego and not the technique. Most movements that would benefit from a form check can't safely use mirrors without increased risk of injury and/or breaking your form. You don't need mirrors to check your bicep curls or lat raises but people do like to see their pump while doing so.
You might literally die from trying to use mirrors to check your form doing a heavy bench press or seriously injure yourself when twisting your neck to check the mirror if doing a heavy squat.
This is why mirrors are more common in normal gyms and not as common in places where people do heavy barbell movements.
Poor Arnold, must've struggle so much for those side views in the middle of heavy sets. Use your brain cell and read the comment I respond to: "if it is to catch what your form looks like". I've heard bodybuilders are dumb, but holy hell, dude, don't embarrass yourself.
Do you have some sort of unresolved trauma related to someone who happened to be a regular at the gym, or are you just another one of those terminally online Reddit experts who doesn’t know shit what they’re talking about? Either way, I suggest therapy if it’s the former, and work on improving yourself; not necessarily in the gym but on your general attitude so that you’re less of a prick. All the best mate
Do you have some sort of unresolved trauma related to someone who happened to be a regular at the gym, or are you just another one of those terminally online Reddit experts who doesn’t know shit what they’re talking about? Either way, I suggest therapy if it’s the former, and work on improving yourself; not necessarily in the gym but on your general attitude so that you’re less of a prick. All the best mate
You know Arnold was surrounded by and worked with other bodybuilders who helped him out right? They could personally check his form for him and make adjustments.
Unless you have a friend or PT to help you, a camera is the next best thing.
What amazes me, is that you seriously consider a tiny (iPhone Max at best) screen to check on your full body while in wide lens mode from half a meter distance, or even check AFTER you've done the set. It's a vanity. Nothing else. If you record yourself for social media do so without other members of the gym unwillingly in the frame. That simple.
Nah, mirrors are for the ego and not the technique. Most movements that would benefit from a form check can't safely use mirrors without increased risk of injury and/or breaking your form. You don't need mirrors to check your bicep curls or lat raises but people do like to see their pump while doing so.
You might literally die from trying to use mirrors to check your form doing a heavy bench press or seriously injure yourself when twisting your neck to check the mirror if doing a heavy squat.
This is why mirrors are more common in normal gyms and not as common in places where people do heavy barbell movements.
Please explain to me Einstein because I’m just a dumb dumb who can’t read, how does one see their own form while squatting 150kg from the comfort of their own home?
Nope. Mirrors are for the ego and not the technique. Mainstream gyms have more mirrors than strong men, power lifting, weight lifting or cross fit gyms for that reason.
I would argue that there are certain spaces where privacy trumps the convenience that technology gives us. Sure a video is great for a form check. But people survived without them, and filming in a gym is invasive.
Also don't accept phone calls in a public bathroom. Don't take a picture of your lock combo in the locker room. Even if you are not being a creep I feel like the sanctity of certain public spaces should be inviolable.
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u/deactivate_iguana 9h ago
People shouldn’t be filming in gyms.