My husband has HORRIBLE form when exercising. It really bothers me because not only is it kind of embarrassing in the gym but I worry that he'll get hurt. I've tried to *kindly* correct him many, many times but he gets really defensive. I think it bothers him that not only is a woman correcting him, but one that's only been working out for a fraction of the time he has. Some examples... when he does shoulder raises he hunches his shoulders up real high and looks down so he's using his neck. Or in squats he never keeps his knees back behind his toes. I thought maybe he was using too much weight or was nervous in the gym but when he did a video at home with light weights it was just as bad. It drives me crazy. Any suggestions on how to help?

Thanks,
Stacy

Fathers day gift certificate to work with a male trainer????

I can't help - but rest assured that you aren't the only one with the same problem. My DH lifts with straight (braced) legs which could injure his spine and prefers to look up an exercise in a book rather than have me demonstrate it for him and it really, REALLY me off. I've mentioned it but he denies it so I think I'm going to have to learn to live with it or pay someone else to tell him how to do it properly.

Maybe have a talk with him outside the gym? Tell him you are worried that he'll get injured and that is why you try to correct him in the gym? You could also show him the website that has the graphics of a guy doing weights (exrx?).

I am my BF's trainer and it is fun I tell him what exercises to do and how to do them. Sometimes I can even use more weight than him. He doesn't care although sometimes he looks at how much weight i'm using and tells me to be careful.

Absolutely get him a gift of a session or two with a male trainer! He'll get better form and will hear it from someone he considers to be an expert (which you may well be, but not in his mind), you'll stop feeling like you need to nag him about it. If he isn't receptive to hearing it from you, he'll probably be receptive to hearing it from someone else, so give that a shot.

I had the same situation with my boyfriend. I used to pick my battles and only point out the mistakes in his form that really posed some danger, otherwise he would think I was nitpicking or nagging. For one example, I caught my b/f lifting weights at home wearing only socks (well, he had shorts and a shirt on too). I had to insist that he put on some shoes. Aside from the poor alignment of his body from not having his feet properly supported, and the extra stress on his feet, I'm sure dropping weights on a foot protected only by a sock would be very unpleasant.

My way of dealing with it is was that I shopped around for a good instructional book with clear photographs and desciptions of how to safely do different lifting exercises. The idea is that he learns on his own. However, I can also use the book as a tool if I do need to correct him. I've actually had weight training, but he hasn't and he still feels the need to argue that he is correct because he is male (let me note that he doesn't verbally state his maleness as the reason for his mysterious weight-lifting knowledge, but then he doesn't state any alternative reason either). So when that happens, I can open the book, point to the picture, and he can see for himself why what he's doing is dangerous. He can't argue then.

So that's my suggestion. It really is unfortunate that we have to deal with this because we're women.

I like McRobert's book on exercise form: Insider's Tell-All Handbook on Weight Training Technique. Nice clear descriptions and pictures of proper form.

I don't think he'd get it from a book. It's like he already knows how he's supposed to do it, he just doesn't.

I like the idea of the trainer though. He's commented on how he wouldn't want to work with any of the ones at our gym. However about 45 minutes away is a gym that specialized in "extreme sports athletes." They do plans and personal training for dirtbike riders, jetskiiers, bmxers, etc. He'd love to have them make a plan for him so maybe I'll get him a few sessions over there.

Thanks you guys so much for the help!

Have him lift using a mirror? I can half the time swear my form is perfect then I look and umm NOPE not quite. Maybe he feels like he is doing it right? I don't know just a thought.