Workout recording and self-filming
These notes combine advice from 15 reviewed passages across 12 workouts.
Overview
Section titled “Overview”Recording your own workouts gives you a view of the movement that direct observation can miss. A side-view recording shows whole-body alignment, and a roughly 45-degree view may add depth perception and make the legs easier to see. When the environment blocks a direct view, a video still lets the form be reviewed.
How useful a recording is depends on camera placement and lighting. Put the camera on the ground at a diagonal, choose the height for the movement, and use vertical light that does not shine directly from the front.
Camera placement and angle
Section titled “Camera placement and angle”Put the camera on the ground and at a diagonal. Ground-level views are always better for seeing the movement.
Use a side-view recording to assess whole-body alignment. The arms can look normal on their own, but the alignment needs to be seen on the whole body.
A roughly 45-degree view may be the best angle for video-based movement assessment. It may add depth perception, show the legs more clearly, and let the program measure the movement better.
A direct front view or a roughly 45-degree diagonal view may give a better view of the movement; either of the two can work.
Choose the camera height by movement. Hip level probably suits bar fix and Acrobas, while a low angle from below shows how Power rises more clearly.
A camera held low on the floor can mislead the assessment of a movement. Stand fully to the side or diagonally so the knees and arms can be seen clearly.
A different camera angle can reveal different things and can make the body’s angle easier to assess.
Filming yourself
Section titled “Filming yourself”For self-recorded workouts, leaving the phone on the ground is preferable to having someone else film.
A tripod draws people’s attention and makes them tense, even a small one. Place the phone on the ground instead; the movement is visible from that angle anyway, and it causes no problem.
Lighting
Section titled “Lighting”Vertical light from any direction is sufficient for filming.
Do not let the light hit directly from the front, because the muscle shading disappears. Light angled slightly forward from above makes all the lines look better.
A single light source that spreads light broadly is a problem for filming.
Place a light slightly below the body to make the body’s lines show more clearly.
A single spotlight is not necessary. A less intense light can be enough when you move back from it.
Recording specific movements
Section titled “Recording specific movements”Film yourself doing the deadlift from about a 45-degree angle so the angles of your knees, back, head, and hips can be reviewed.
When the environment blocks a direct view of a movement, record it so the form can still be reviewed on video. A wall can block the view of a back lever, so the movement is filmed for review.