When teaching someone the Big 3....

[Big_BK]

Would you encourage the use of a mirror to help them learn the form or make them lift with no mirrors until they get the form down. I already have a chosen side with my reasoning behind it i want to see a few others before i share mine.

 

[2DIEZEL]

I like the mirror, mostly because i just like looking at myself. But i do loose some form when not looking in the mirror, so i would have to say mirror.

 

[fortunatesun]

No mirror.

I usually use one but lately it's seemed somewhat limiting. It's better to concentrate on feeling your natural ROM. Nothing wrong with checking your form out after you feel comfortable, but if you have someone to teach and correct you then you don't need the mirror.

Nowadays I'm reverse engineering myself. I focus on setting up and feeling my legs break parallel or locking out the weight rather than trying to see what I'm doing.

Of course I'd post somewhat differently if my main interest was bodybuilding. I can see where some immediate feedback would be useful. Even so, for someone just learning the basics, it's better w/o so that you're at home lifting anywhere.

 

[joe d]

i dont look at anything right before or during a lift. my gaol the entire time is complete focus on my muscle im working. i tune everything out.

 

[Gawd]

I like the mirror. I find a focal point on the wall or something to concentrate on, but i'll glance at the mirror once in a while to make sure everything is looking right. Especially since I normally workout solo.

I think mirror would be good if your teaching someone, cause they can glance in the mirror to see how there suppose to be set up.

 

[ExtraMile]

I like the mirror because it makes me feel like a badass watching myself DLing

 

[gstacker]

i dont use mirriors for myself so i wouldnt teach someone else to...but then again im not a trainer lol anyways if i were i think id have em focus on feel and consintrate on the muscels being worked and sqeeze...use weight they can handle...i mean ya you can look like your doing it right no prob jus go throgh the mothions but you got to feel it n sqeeze em out jmho

 

[artificialaspirations]

i could go either way but I've been lifting for a long time. You can't see yourself from the side, so other than admiring yourself in the mirror, I see no benefit. I can tell if my squats are deep enough, I DL away from the mirror and you can't see anything benching, sooo...

I find great value in multi angle video cameras though...

 

[timtim]

start with the mirror so they can see what the movement should look like. after they get the feel down, remove the mirrors. the visual image at the beginning is where they are learning the move. you can tell someone to get their hips down as much as you want. until they see the range they should be in, feel it, and train to it, they will not learn near as quick or as accurate. you get the visual, auditory, and tactile senses working with mirrors. they are pretty essential to the learning of the movements.

 

[cjangelo]

timtim's advice is good. I think it helps to see what the movement should look like. To that end, show him videos of great deadlifters, point out what they're doing well--chest up, bar close to the shins, etc. Then when they're setting up and performing the lift, they'll know what it's supposed to look like, and they can check in the mirror. Have

Of course, yes, they need to "feel" the correct form and set up, and eventually they'll drop the mirrors.

Later, if they need form work, they'll use a coach and/or video cameras to monitor form.

YouTube - Brad Gillingham 390 (859) deadlift

YouTube - Sorinex - Brad Gillingham Deadlifts 865lbs at the Arnold

mark rippetoe describes brad gillingham's form as the most perfect he's ever seen. Show your trainee these videos.

 

[moya]

i see how it could help a new trainee feel more comfortable... but its probably better for them to get the feel of the lift, because with the big 3, the mirror does not help at all...
bench... not a factor
squats... depth perception is skewed and you should be looking up or forward... not down...
deads... same thing you should DEFINATELY be looking up on these, espicialy the heavier you get... i find myself looking forwards sometimes on big lifts and they definately are either harder or i miss a max attempt because of this... the body follows the head imo
however... i am guilty of lifting in front of a mirror... i like to stare myself down though... get all psyched up when doing ME and get all wide eyed and flared nostrils and slap myself arround... thats what i think they are good for...

 

[Chill Trojan]

no mirrors for the first few weeks imo once a trainee is near perfect form wise perhaps then a mirror can iron out small errors i think you as their trainer are far more important in correct form than a mirror
someone suggested chest up 4 deadlift earlier i would say fill ur belly with air 4 deadlift dont have to lift so far just mo

 

[Big_BK]

Ok here was my reasoning behind it, just wanted to see what others had to say. I say train with NO mirror. The reason this all came about was because i've noticed alot of form checks on the board and thought, hmmmm, what would be the best way to teach someone? After my thinking i came up with the conclusion that when you are training someone, until they have the form down you should not use mirrors. You need to teach them to FEEL what is a correct deadlift, what is a correct bench, etc. Feel can't play tricks on you like your eyes can. Anyone else agree or disagree?

 

[gstacker]

Ok here was my reasoning behind it, just wanted to see what others had to say. I say train with NO mirror. The reason this all came about was because i've noticed alot of form checks on the board and thought, hmmmm, what would be the best way to teach someone? After my thinking i came up with the conclusion that when you are training someone, until they have the form down you should not use mirrors. You need to teach them to FEEL what is a correct deadlift, what is a correct bench, etc. Feel can't play tricks on you like your eyes can. Anyone else agree or disagree?

i agree becouse thats what i said

 

[ExtraMile]

Well I would say with a mirror, then if their deads are off, lets say their back is rounded, then you can strip off the weight so its just an empty bar and stand them next to a mirror, then as they are say part way through get them too look sideways and see what they are doing then they will know whatever they are feeling is not the thing to do.

 

[b fold the truth]

Well I would say with a mirror, then if their deads are off, lets say their back is rounded, then you can strip off the weight so its just an empty bar and stand them next to a mirror, then as they are say part way through get them too look sideways and see what they are doing then they will know whatever they are feeling is not the thing to do.

If they are looking in a mirror...their form isn't correct. At no point (unless you are doing curls or calf raises) should you be able to look in the mirror.

 

[the.gladiator1987]

Bench is pretty self explanatory.

Squats, i set up a platform behind them and have them touch that. This gets them to sit down more and stay on their heel srather than just bend at the knees right away.

Deadlifts are hard, because it requires a lot of different things at the same time, same with squat. But our gym is surrounded by mirrors so they see themselves doing it. I correct their form and usually they get it