How can I check my lifting form without a trainer?

On Ep. 368, Debbie explains that when she isn't sure about a lift, she films herself and asks her coach, Stevie, "Am I doing this right?" Once she tried to go really heavy, and her coach told her to drop the weight because her form was out of whack. The host's takeaway: you can record yourself, send it to your coach, and find out what to fix or whether you're doing it right. Going heavier only counts if your form holds up, and an honest set of eyes on your video will tell you when it doesn't.

In her story video, Michelle says online coaching worked better for her than in-person training. She could watch the exercise videos over and over until she understood the movement. She could also send videos of herself so her coach could tell her what she was and wasn't doing. Because she trained at home, she could fit workouts around her schedule instead of a fixed appointment. She does admit it felt strange at first to train without someone telling her what to do.

She also says that trainers near her charge about 90 to 180 dollars an hour, and that some clients she sees with in-person trainers spend the session chatting.

If you've struggled to get your form right, it's not that you can't learn it. You've likely been missing feedback. The common thread across these episodes is a clear demo to follow, a video of yourself, and a coach who reviews it.