“Structure” can mean a variety of different things depending on context. Recently I was teaching a jiu jitsu class and noticed a lot of students who were “muscling” the technique rather than putting their body into a structurally sound position where they would not need to use nearly as much strength. This is a common theme in BJJ, where we want to always be looking to create mechanical advantage as opposed to relying on poor mechanics that must be made up for by brute strength.
In the weight room, there are countless examples of the same concept. The first one that comes to mind is on Turkish get ups or half-TGU’s where we want the working arm to be in a solid position of mechanical advantage. This means a completely straight wrist and elbow with no bend whatsoever. Not only is this significantly stronger, it is also much safer as the joints receive less torque and the movement is more predictable.
Next time you are training your TGU’s, or really any strength training movement, think about how to optimize your structure for both safety and performance.
