Technique Cues

[Blackmetalbunny]

Hey guys, I’m just having this here for discussion and gathering some feedback on common or uncommon training cues.

Things like
“split the ground with your feet” during the squat
“push the floor away from you” during the deadlift
“pull the bar to your body” during the pullup.

Are there any which you find particularly useful or harmful?

I’m aware that it’s a very personal thing, and what works for some might not work for others. In fact; I’d go so far as to say that some outright confound me. Then there are some which make no sense until I get under the bar one day and it just hits me – like “crush the bar and pull it to your body” during the pull-up – it finally struck me that it was trying to use the feedback from your fingers and fists to create tightness in the upper back and activate the lats.

I’ve come to think that without context and explanation about what the cue is trying get it you to do, such cues merely create confusions.

Any thoughts, stories to share or context to clarify cues?

[StayGrey]

Good thread idea. I have no idea if this is an "official" cue but I find keeping my chest up when I squat helps my form big time.

[Mindboozer]

I like the cue of trying to "inflate your obliques" for core bracing. Helped me understand the brace a lot more than cues to either pull in the abs or push out.

[Blackmetalbunny]

So the question is... what do you guys think these cues are doing to / for you?

[mikhou]

On the deadlift, I have to really concentrate on keeping my chest up and behind the bar or else I will straighten my legs early and then I am basically doing a straight-leg deadlift.

[Barkadion]

What I found about myself is that my mental attitude is extremely important. I don't know how to explain that, though. Diet, sleep, recovery, technique cues - all of it is very important. But the mental attitude beats it. I do need to be prepared mentally to do the lift prior to approaching the bar. I will fail one way or another otherwise. It feels sometimes that my brain does the lifting instead of my body.

It might sound silly, but I play a movie of the movement in my head during the RI. And I know that all technique details/cues will be set by itself once I get into that "I CAN DO IT" mental state.. But I don't know the cues/tricks to get into the state.

It just happens. Or it doesn't...