Training Technique – What it Does and Doesn’t do - Bill Porter

Have you ever stepped into the gym or started a new program and had that nagging thought: “I hope I’m doing this right?”

Technique in training is often talked about as critically important, and it’s an interesting topic when we break down what technique actually is and what it does for us. At its simplest, technique just refers to how a movement is performed.

When we look at technique in training or sport, we’re generally working toward two outcomes: repeatability and automaticity. Repeatability is the ability to perform a movement the same way each time. Automaticity is being able to do that without having to think about it — it just happens. Both are developed through the same thing: practice and consistency.

So why do we emphasise certain techniques in specific exercises or sporting movements? In simple terms, because we’re trying to make the movement as easy and efficient as possible.

From a more technical perspective, good technique helps us reduce unnecessary movement (often called reducing degrees of freedom), allowing us to direct effort toward the tissues and outcomes we actually want. It also improves mechanical efficiency — for example, keeping a bar close to the body during a deadlift or sequencing a golf swing well to generate more output with less effort.

A common belief is that technique is mainly about preventing injury, but this is where some nuance is needed. Research suggests that movement variability on its own does not significantly increase injury risk, and from a resilience standpoint, the benefits of regular training — even with slightly imperfect technique — far outweigh the risks. Strength training is statistically very safe, and small deviations from “perfect” form don’t appear to meaningfully increase injury risk.

Thats a liberating idea! It means that we can all engage in exercise without the worry of hurting ourselves if we aren’t doing it ‘perfectly’!.