The popular professional bodybuilder Branch Warren has become famous for his training style. Warren and his training partner Johnie Jackson lift like madmen in many workout videos and promotional clips. Both of them are lifting heavy, but their form is terrible. Every exercise is done with body swinging, and the range of motion is cut really short. Of course, that way of training comes with a healthy dose of orangutan screaming.

Can you build muscle training like that?

When I was in middle school, my math teacher told us to bring a triangle for the next lesson. I brought a ruler because I thought that it would work just as well. Her response was that I could use my foot if I want to, but a triangle was the optimal choice for that particular task.

If we apply the same logic here, the answer would be – yes, you can build muscle training Branch Warren style, but the method is just not optimal.

The fact that you are lifting heavy weights means nothing when you are using an atrocious  form. Your connective tissues and muscles are under an excessive stress with all that back arching and swinging.

You may have a lot of plates on the barbell, but does it matter? You can achieve the same level of muscle stimulation by using less weight and proper form. Why bother lifting heavy?

But man, Branch Warren is training hardcore style…

Many people consider Branch Warren’s style of training “pure” and ”hardcore”. Nonetheless, true hardcore lifting does not require an extensively bad form. When the weight is heavy, there is always some form deviation, but it should never be as severe as what Branch Warren displays.

Try to find a video of the legendary powerlifter Ed Coan where he lifts with bad form. You won’t find one because he always tries to keep his technique as perfect as possible even when he does assistance exercises like biceps curls.

If you can achieve the same results safer, there’s is absolutely no point in killing your joints training like a crazy person. Do yourself a favor and use good form.