“Perfect is the enemy of good”.
Or so the saying goes.
It’s actually true in a lot of cases.
Like, for example, the thorny topic of exercise form.
I’m reminded of the heated arguments I used to wade through on forums before social media really took off and consigned 99% of them to the internet scrap heap. (A great loss, in my opinion).
Some guy would post a grainy video of a respectably heavy squat, only to be dogpiled by a bunch of people (none of whom were brave enough to show their faces – let alone post a video) who’d lambast him for being an “ego lifter” with poor form.
Others would charge to his defence – especially if he was a popular figure on the forum – proclaiming how form doesn’t matter, and nobody who ever got anywhere did so by obsessing over minutiae.
The truth?
Somewhere in the middle.
You probably aren’t going to get anywhere if you totally reset your progress by deloading to the bar the moment your form falters by a microscopic degree under a challenging load. (Believe it or not, this is what a lot of people on those forums used to advocate. I don’t know if it’s still the case in the social media age because I don’t “consume” any fitness-related content because it’s mostly garbage and Real Books printed on Real Paper are better, although I imagine it’s still the case).
Likewise, there’s an unacceptably high chance you’ll end up doing your number ones through a tube and number twos into a bag if you disregard form altogether.
That’s why I advocate for “safe” form.
Because it allows for things to be less-than-perfect when you’re pushing yourself (there’s no escaping this, irrespective of what the noodle armed Perfect Form Police have to say on the issue).
Yet, you’ll never do anything properly dangerous that will cause you a serious mischief.
You might still get injured, though.
It’s part and parcel of lifting – even when you use “perfect form”. For instance, I once pinged my hamstring squatting perfectly with an empty bar for, insofar as I can tell, no reason whatsoever.
Anyway.
Having a strong back is an integral part of lifting with “safe form”. (And even perfect form won’t save you from a weak back, for that matter).
Which is why I’m devoting the entirety of February’s issue of The Phil Tyreman Letter to a range of tactics you can use to build a large, shapely, and, most importantly, healthy back.
These are the methods I’ve used for going on a decade now to stay back injury-free and while none of them are remotely glamorous, they are brutally effective.
Some more information about what you’ll get when you subscribe:
* Significant discounts on my books and other offers.
* Occasional bonus material over and above the content of the newsletter.
* A physical copy of my book, Lift, which is arguably the most important book you will ever read because it contains a complete system for training, eating, and living with the potential to utterly transform your physique and – quite possibly – your life. (If you’re not convinced of that last claim, read the email I sent a few days ago containing the testimonial of a happy reader. Or, just reply and I’ll ping it over to you).
* “Virtually unlimited” email support – literally ask me anything and, if I’m qualified to answer, I’ll get back to you with a detailed response, usually within 24 hours but no more than 48 hours in any case. This is the best part of the offer. You’re getting unfettered access to me for help with any aspect of your training, diet, and so on. Whether that’s pointers to help you apply the content of the newsletter, advice to get you over whatever roadblocks are holding you back from the results you so richly deserve for all your hard work, or something else entirely. I’ll even critique your form if you send me a video. (This support begins the moment you subscribe, so if you have a burning problem you want solved, we can start working on it today or tomorrow).
OK, that’s everything for now.
If I’ve piqued your interest, read the below carefully for everything you need to make an informed decision about subscribing to The Phil Tyreman Letter:
https://philtyreman.co.uk/information/
Thank you,
Phil Tyreman