Technique, warm-up and safety without the myths
General rules of execution, how to warm up, what to do about pain, and what the evidence says about the classic myths.
Technique is not a liturgy: it is how you apply tension to the muscle you want, repeatably and without breaking anything. Four general rules cover almost every exercise.
Four rules that apply to everything
- 1
Control the full range
Lower under control (1–3 seconds) and use the largest range you can hold without compensating or feeling pain.
- 2
Stabilise what does not move
Feet planted, trunk braced, scapulae set. If the base moves, force leaks out on the way.
- 3
Move the right joint
In a curl the elbow moves; if the shoulder moves, you changed exercise halfway through the set.
- 4
Repeat the same movement on every set
If technique changes once it gets heavy, your log stops comparing like with like.
Warm-up: specific and short
- 5 general minutes of something cyclical if you are cold. No more is needed.
- Ramp-up sets on the first exercise: empty bar, 50%, 70%, 85% of the working set, for few reps.
- On the following exercises in the same pattern, one ramp-up set is usually enough.
- Long static stretches before training do not prevent injury and can temporarily reduce force; save them for afterwards or for separate sessions.
Pain: the signal that does matter
| Sensation | What it is | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Muscle burn during the set | Metabolites. Normal. | Carry on. |
| Soreness 24–48 h later | Mild muscle damage, more so if the exercise is new. | Train as usual, adjust volume if it limits you. |
| Sharp or stabbing joint pain | A warning signal. | Stop the exercise, swap for another pattern, review load and range. |
| Pain that worsens session to session | Accumulated overload. | Cut volume or load; if it persists, see a healthcare professional. |
This is not medical advice
If you have a diagnosed condition, persistent pain, or you are coming back from an injury, your healthcare professional decides. A guide can give you principles; it cannot examine you.
Myths the evidence does not support
“Deep squats destroy your knees”
The concern comes from old studies with limited methodology. Later biomechanical reviews find no cause-and-effect relationship between greater depth and injury in healthy people; depth is limited by mobility and technique, not by an intrinsic danger.
“Any lumbar flexion is dangerous”
The narrative review Beyond the Neutral Spine describes how the spine flexes naturally when lifting, that the load differences between lifting styles are smaller than assumed, and that a submaximal amount of lumbar flexion may even improve performance. The practical recommendation remains a consistent and controlled position, not an impossible perfect rigidity.
- “Knees must not go past your toes”: in many bodies it is impossible to sit down without them doing so; forcing it shifts load to the hip and low back.
- “Change your routine every month to confuse the muscle”: what gets confused is the log. Change when it stops progressing.
- “No soreness means no workout”: soreness measures novelty, not stimulus.
- “Cardio kills your gains”: relevant interference only shows up at high endurance volumes; 2–3 sessions a week will not compromise your gains.
When to use a belt, wraps and straps
- Belt
- Heavy sets (≥85% 1RM) of squat and deadlift
- Straps
- When your grip fails before your back does
- Knee / wrist wraps
- Comfort and stability at heavy loads
Increases intra-abdominal pressure; it does not replace technique.
Useful so the lats are not limited by the hands.
They do not prevent injury on their own.
Takeaways
- Controlled range, stable base, correct joint, repeatable movement.
- Warm up with ramp-up sets, not with long stretches.
- Sharp joint pain is a stop; soreness is not.
- Depth and lumbar flexion are not the villains: jumping load too fast is.
Sources for this chapter
- [1]Schoenfeld BJ (2010). The Biomechanics of Squat Depth. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. review
- [2]Revisión narrativa sobre flexión lumbar y peso muerto (2026). Beyond the Neutral Spine: A Narrative Review and Modern Framework for Low Back Injury Prevention in Deadlifting. Sports (Basel). review
- [3]Eddens L, van Someren K, Howatson G (2018). The Role of Intra-Session Exercise Sequence in the Interference Effect: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine. meta-analysis
- [4]American College of Sports Medicine (2009). Position Stand: Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. position stand