# What I Got Wrong About Lifting Technique (And How to Do It Right) Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtFjmnhDBwo Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/dtFjmnhDBwo Generated: 2025-12-08T17:06:50.094+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview The three main mistakes costing lifters gains are using too much momentum, failing to use the correct technique to target the intended muscle, and prioritizing weight progression over technique and execution, which increases injury risk and limits long-term muscle growth. **Key Points:** - Mistake #1: Using too much momentum, especially rapid reversals at the bottom of lifts like squats or skull crushers, sacrifices tension for speed, which is counterproductive for muscle growth. - Mistake #2: Using the wrong muscles in a lift—like using momentum or poor leverage instead of the target muscle—was exemplified by the speaker's old low-bar squat form where his forward tilt caused his quads to do too much work relative to his glutes. - Mistake #3: Prioritizing weight progression over technique is a major error; lifting too heavy with poor form (like short-range-of-motion pull-ups or excessive momentum in squats) increases injury risk and limits long-term hypertrophy. - The fix for momentum involves either a 'Gentle Touch' (slowing down the eccentric and gently reversing) or a 'Full Pause' (pausing 1-2 seconds at the deepest stretch) to maximize mechanical tension. - For physique goals, the primary objective is maximizing the utilization and stimulus of the target muscle, not just chasing weight numbers or PRs. - The speaker suggests alternating between gentle touch (3 months) and pause variations (3 months) throughout a training career, especially for those injury-averse or dieting. - If you are younger, uninjured, and strong, using momentum might be acceptable, but for most, prioritizing controlled eccentrics and full range of motion is superior for long-term gains. ![Screenshot at 00:04: Dr. Mike highlights using momentum \(bouncing out of the bottom of a squat\) as the first mistake that cost him gains, contrasting it with controlled movement.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/dtFjmnhDBwo/00-00-04.png) **Context:** Dr. Mike from RP Strength discusses three common mistakes he made in his own training past that hindered his progress and increased injury risk, particularly focusing on technique errors in compound lifts like squats and accessory movements like skull crushers. He contrasts his past, momentum-heavy style with modern, technique-focused training principles centered on maximizing mechanical tension for hypertrophy. ## Detailed Analysis Dr. Mike outlines three critical mistakes that stall muscle growth and increase injury risk: excessive momentum, incorrect muscle targeting, and prioritizing weight progression over technique. Mistake number one involves using momentum, such as bouncing out of the bottom of a squat or rapidly reversing a skull crusher, which reduces the time under tension necessary for hypertrophy. The fix is to either use a 'Gentle Touch' (slowing the eccentric and gently reversing) or a 'Full Pause' (pausing 1-2 seconds at the deepest stretch). Mistake number two is using the wrong muscles; for example, his old low-bar squat form, where his forward tilt caused his quads to overwork relative to his glutes, exemplifies poor muscle targeting. Mistake number three is prioritizing progress (weight/reps) over technique, leading to form degradation, increased injury risk, and reduced muscle stimulus. He uses examples of his past 562lb low-bar squats and 405lb squats to illustrate how ego lifting can obscure true progress. The overall goal for physique development must be maximizing the utilization of the target muscle, not just lifting heavy weight or chasing PRs. He advises incorporating both pause and gentle touch variations periodically throughout a training career, especially for lifters who are injury-prone or dieting. ### Mistake #1 - Momentum Errors: Using too much momentum and rapid reversals at the bottom of movements (like squats/skull crushers) sacrifices tension for speed - Momentum provides less muscle growth stimulus than controlled movement. ### The Fix for Momentum - Option #1 (Gentle Touch): Go slow on the way down and gently reverse out of the hole, maintaining active muscle engagement - Option #2 (Full Pause): Go slow on the way down and take a 1-2 second pause at the deepest stretch while maintaining active tension. ### Mistake #2 - Using The Wrong Muscles: An example is the low-bar squat where forward tilt causes the quads to over-recruit relative to the glutes - The goal is to stimulate the target muscle (e.g., glutes in a low-bar squat) through proper technique, not just move the weight. ### Mistake #3 - Progress > Technique: Prioritizing weight/rep progression over maintaining good technique leads to injury risk and less muscle stimulus - Examples include poor form in the old squat videos (562 lbs for 2 reps) versus better technique. ### The Goal of Lifting for Physique - Choose a target muscle, choose an exercise/technique to target it effectively, and focus on maximizing the utilization of that muscle, not just moving the weight. ### Recommendations for Technique Application - Either pause reps or gentle touch reps are significantly better than using momentum - Use both variations throughout a training career (e.g., 3 months gentle touch, 3 months pause) - Prioritize technique to ensure progress is driven by muscle stimulus, not momentum or ego. ![Screenshot at 00:02: Dr. Mike introduces the three main mistakes that cost him gains: Momentum, Wrong Muscles, and ???](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/dtFjmnhDBwo/00-00-02.png) ![Screenshot at 00:28: Dr. Mike reflects on an old squat video showing 562 lbs x 2 reps, illustrating poor technique from the past.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/dtFjmnhDBwo/00-00-28.png) ![Screenshot at 00:44: Mistake #1 is identified as using 'Too Much Momentum,' especially rapid reversals at the bottom of the lift.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/dtFjmnhDBwo/00-00-44.png) ![Screenshot at 02:45: Side-by-side comparison showing the difference between bouncing out of the bottom of a squat \(left\) versus using controlled movement \(right\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/dtFjmnhDBwo/00-02-45.png) ![Screenshot at 04:45: The section shifts to 'The Fix' for momentum errors, highlighting the two main options: Gentle Touch and Full Pause.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/dtFjmnhDBwo/00-04-45.png)