By Dave Patania
Personal trainer

Question: I have been weight training really hard but never know if I am doing things the right way. What should I do?

A: Form, technique, exercise selection and proper body placement are of the utmost importance to any fitness routine. Many people, fitness professionals included, don't pay close enough attention to proper form. When it comes to getting results and maintaining them, proper form is the key. This is because if your form is not good, you run the risk of injury, poor results and an imbalanced physique. Consistency is an issue with many exercisers and bad form only compounds the problem. Exercise selection is also very important and often overlooked. Take a good look at your goals and then determine how you plan to achieve them. If your goal is to have a good routine that gives you a healthier lifestyle, then there are certain exercises and intensity levels that will get you in line with those goals. Just because you see a great-looking person in the gym doing squats with a bunch of weight doesn't mean that you have to do the same thing to get great results. Heck, for all you know that person could have awesome genetics and it is their first time in the gym in months.

Focus on your goals, what you want to achieve, how much time and effort you are willing to invest and then create a plan of action. Go to a qualified fitness professional to show you a routine based on your goals and commitment level. This fitness pro should assess all of your moves/activities and show you how best to perform each move so as to maximize results and safety.

Check back with the fitness pro every 8-12 weeks for assessment and for new moves to add to the routine for variation and fun. Track your progress and you will be surprised at how much great form will impact your results. Focus is the key. There are thousands of ways to get in shape but if you have a clear plan, keep things simple and choose exercises/activities that are suited to your goals, fitness levels and motivation levels, you will efficiently succeed without wasted time and activity.

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Contact personal trainer Dave Patania by e-mail: davpatania@aol.com.