Hand Positioning - important or nah?

KimberlyCapone
KimberlyCapone Posts: 42 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My group fitness instructor is always nagging at us about where we put our hands during certain moves. Body weight squats and oblique dips - she insists that our hands should be behind our head for both, claiming it helps with form. In my years of doing Body Pump and GRIT, I'd never put my hands behind my head for either.

Is there any importance to this? I'm more comfortable with my hands in front of me for squats, and I really can't see that it matters one way or another for the oblique dips.

Replies

  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    If your braced so you don't e experience lumbar flex, it simply doesn't matter.

    Not to knock fitness instructors but they are just regurgitating nonsense they have been taught through certs.

    Perhaps they are trying to cue you into some form that really doesn't exist but in a text book.
  • ExistingFish
    ExistingFish Posts: 1,259 Member
    I always put my hands out to the front when doing bodyweight squats, for balance, because I don't have any added weight.

    I didn't know what an oblique dip was, but all the google images have people with their hands on their hips.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,974 Member
    edited August 2019
    KimberlyCapone wrote: »
    Is there any importance to this? I'm more comfortable with my hands in front of me for squats, I really can't that it matters one way or the other . .

    Seems like it matters to your instructor and, if you want to continue to take her class, you'll have to do as she "instructs" unless you are willing to commit civil dissobedience in the face of her disapproval.

    FWIW, holding your arms out in front while doing BW SQTs easier to maintain your balance by adjusting your wt to componsate for variations in body movement It's like walking a wire with a balancing pole.

    On the other hand, placing your hands behind tlyour head is a stricter movement which prevents you from adjusting your balance w/your arms and requires you to maintain a more vertical hack position (ie, "better form") which puts greater stress and importance on the strength of your ankles and pelvis to maintain your balance.

    So, in this sense, I think your instructor is "right."
  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
    KimberlyCapone wrote: »

    Is there any importance to this? I'm more comfortable with my hands in front of me for squats, and I really can't see that it matters one way or another for the oblique dips.

    My trainer gets me to put my hands at my head (prisoner/hindu squat) when my form for bodyweight squats is slipping (usually when I'm feeling tired). It forces me in to a more upright position and just helps stop me being lazy.

    I can do perfectly good form squats without having hands at side of head, but i do tend to get lazy.

    Had to look up oblique dips (I call them side bends) and personally I've done them in all ways, but tend to have the arm on the non working straight down. Sometimes the instructor will have to in a different position and I just copy.
  • emmies_123
    emmies_123 Posts: 513 Member
    Agree with sgt372 and firefly72 on helping keep proper form by having hands on head. Also, I find it stretches my core more to have arms raised to head, so that is also a benefit.

    So to answer your question, it isn't a huge huge deal, but your trainer isn't full of bs either. They are just trying to help you keep form and make the most of your movement.

Categories