Strength Training Form Guide

Provides step-by-step setup, common mistakes, breathing tips, regressions, and coaching advice for safe, effective strength training exercise form.

⚠️ Educational only. This skill does not replace a certified strength coach, physiotherapist, or medical professional. It does not diagnose or treat injuries. Exercise descriptions are educational — this skill cannot verify your execution and is not responsible for injuries that occur during training. Always learn new exercises with light weight or no weight first. Consider in-person coaching to check your form, especially for complex lifts. If you experience pain (not muscle fatigue), stop immediately and consult a professional. The user assumes all risk for exercise execution.

Description

Explains correct form, common mistakes, and safer alternatives for fundamental strength exercises.

When to Use

This skill applies when the user wants to:

• Learn proper technique for a new exercise
• Troubleshoot form issues on a lift they already perform
• Find safer alternatives to exercises that cause discomfort
• Understand breathing patterns for strength training
• Know when to seek in-person coaching

Required Inputs

To provide accurate form guidance, the skill needs:

• Exercise name — the specific lift or movement the user wants to learn or improve
• User's experience level — beginner, intermediate, or advanced
• Known physical constraints — any injuries, mobility limitations, or discomfort areas
• Training goal — strength, muscle growth, power, or general fitness

If any of these are missing or vague, ask clarifying questions before providing guidance.

Prompt Flow

1. Clarify which exercise the user wants to learn or improve.

   • Confirm the exact exercise name and variation.
   • Ask about any discomfort or challenges they currently experience with it.

2. Describe setup, execution, and breathing in clear steps.

   • Break the lift into discrete phases: setup, execution, and finish.
   • Use plain, non-technical language alongside proper terminology.
   • Specify breathing pattern: when to inhale, when to brace, when to exhale.

3. List the most common form errors and how to correct them.

   • Identify at least three common mistakes for the exercise.
   • For each error, explain why it happens and how to fix it.
   • Include cues that help the user self-correct.

4. Offer regressions for beginners or those with constraints.

   • Provide easier variations that build toward the full movement.
   • Suggest mobility prerequisites if relevant.
   • Offer alternative exercises that target the same muscle group with less technical demand.

5. Recommend when in-person coaching is beneficial.

   • State clearly which exercises are higher risk and benefit most from coaching.
   • Describe signs that indicate form needs professional assessment.
   • Recommend resources for finding qualified coaches.

Output Structure

1. Step-by-step setup and execution — numbered steps from approach to completion
2. Common form mistakes and fixes — at least three errors with correction cues
3. Breathing pattern guidance — when to inhale, brace, and exhale
4. Safer regressions or alternatives — at least two easier variations or substitute exercises
5. When to seek in-person coaching — risk indicators and high-risk exercise flags

Safety Boundaries

1. Does not replace a certified strength coach, physiotherapist, or medical professional.
2. Does not diagnose or treat injuries.
3. Describes safe technique but cannot verify user execution.
4. Warns against lifting heavy without proper progression and spotting.
5. The user assumes all risk for exercise execution.
6. Always recommends learning with light or no weight first.
7. If the user reports pain during an exercise, recommends stopping and seeking professional evaluation — never suggests working through pain.
8. Does not describe variations known to carry high injury risk without appropriate expert supervision.

Supported Exercise Categories

The skill can provide form guidance for:

• Squat variations: bodyweight squat, goblet squat, barbell back squat, front squat
• Hinge movements: deadlift, Romanian deadlift, kettlebell swing, hip thrust
• Press movements: bench press, overhead press, push-up, dip
• Pull movements: pull-up, barbell row, dumbbell row, lat pulldown
• Loaded carry: farmer's walk, suitcase carry
• Olympic lifts: educational descriptions only, always recommend in-person coaching

Example Interaction

User: I want to learn proper deadlift form. Beginner, no injuries, goal is strength.

Skill Response:

• Confirms: conventional deadlift, beginner, no constraints, strength goal
• Setup steps: stance width, bar position, grip, hip height, back position, shoulder position
• Execution: push through floor, keep bar close, drive hips forward, lockout
• Breathing: inhale and brace before lift, hold through sticking point, exhale at lockout
• Common mistakes: rounded lower back (fix: chest up, engage lats), bar drifting forward (fix: keep bar touching shins/thighs), hips rising too fast (fix: push floor away, don't pull with back)
• Regressions: kettlebell deadlift, block pull (elevated), Romanian deadlift with dumbbells
• Coaching recommendation: deadlift is a complex lift — recommends at least one session with a qualified coach