Clean reps land the load on the right muscle
Form isn't just safety — it's effectiveness. A sloppy rep puts the load on the wrong muscle and your joints; a clean rep puts it exactly where you want growth. Run through this checklist on each core lift. Film a set from the side and check yourself against it — your phone is the best coach you've got.
Universal rules (every lift)
- Control the eccentric (lowering). No free-falling.
- Full range of motion — full stretch, full contraction. Half reps build half results.
- Brace your core — light belly tension on every rep, like you're about to take a punch.
- Neutral spine — don't round or overarch the lower back under load.
Incline / Flat Press
- Shoulder blades pinned back and down, chest up and proud.
- Feet flat, slight arch, glutes on the bench.
- Lower under control to a deep chest stretch (DBs: to chest level).
- Elbows tucked to ~45-75 degrees from your body — not flared to 90 degrees (saves the shoulders).
- Drive up and think "squeeze hands together" to fire the chest.
- Don't bounce the weight off your chest or lock out and rest at the top.
Lat Pulldown / Pull-up
- Grip slightly wider than shoulders for width.
- Initiate by pulling shoulder blades down first, then the elbows.
- Drive elbows down toward your hips — not hands to the bar.
- Pull to upper chest; squeeze the lats for a beat at the bottom.
- Control the way back up — full stretch overhead, no slamming the stack.
- Minimal lean-back swing; let the lats do the work, not momentum.
Row (Chest-Supported / DB)
- Flat back, braced core, no rounding.
- Pull elbow back and slightly toward the hip, not straight up.
- Squeeze the shoulder blade at the top for a half-second.
- Full stretch at the bottom — let the lat lengthen, don't cut it short.
- Biceps are hooks — initiate with the back, not the arms.
Shoulder Press
- Sit tall, core braced, ribs down (don't overarch the lower back).
- Wrists stacked over elbows, neutral.
- Press up and slightly in; stop just short of locking out to keep tension.
- Lower under control to ear/chin level — full but pain-free range.
Lateral Raise
- Slight, fixed elbow bend the whole set.
- Lead with elbows and pinkies, like pouring water.
- Raise to shoulder height — no higher (traps take over above).
- Slow 2–3 sec lowering; no swinging or using the hips.
Squat / Leg Press
- Feet shoulder-width, toes slightly out.
- Sit back and down; knees track over the toes, not caving in.
- Depth to at least parallel (thighs flat) if mobility allows.
- Neutral spine; brace the core hard; drive through mid-foot/heel.
- Control the descent — don't drop and bounce out of the bottom.
RDL (Romanian Deadlift)
- Soft knees (slightly bent, fixed angle).
- Hinge at the hips — push your butt back, not a squat.
- Bar/DBs slide close down the thighs; flat back the whole way.
- Feel the hamstring stretch, stop when your back wants to round, drive hips forward.
- Never round the lower back — this is the #1 way guys hurt themselves.
The 2-minute weekly self-audit: once a week, film one set of each core lift from the side. Watch it against this checklist. You'll catch sloppy habits before they become injuries — and before they cost you growth.