Weightlifting comes with so many advantages! For example, weightlifting can improve muscular strength, increase bone density, and help you maintain function, no matter your age. However, as with anything in life, too much of a good thing can lead to problems. If you are using heavy lifting equipment excessively or improperly, you can expect to suffer from a number of different injuries.
In this article, we will review some of the things all lifters should do, as well as some things that lifters should never do. Let’s dive in!
Lifting Dos
When you are lifting weights, keep the following recommendations in mind. Remember, this section is reviewing things that you should do, not things that you should avoid (that will come later). Above all else, be sure that you are practicing lifting safely.
Use a Spotter
If you’re trying to improve your personal record in a certain lift, such as the bench press, be sure to recruit a spotter. Lifters can suffer devastating injuries if they attempt to lift too much weight without a helper nearby.
Don’t have a gym partner that you work out with? That’s ok! Truly, everyone in the gym will require a spotter at one time or another. People are almost always willing to lend a few minutes to their fellow lifters to ensure that they are safe.
Try to catch someone on a rest break and politely ask them if they can give you a spot. It will only take a minute or two, and they may save you from badly hurting yourself.
Practice Good Form
Before you move on to heavier weights, make sure you have perfect form on your key lifts. While every lift will require slightly different postures, there are a few general rules which you can follow. For instance, you should usually try to keep your back flat, your knees slightly bent, and you should never “lock out” your joints at the end of the range of motion.
If you’re unsure of exactly what you should do for a given lift, be sure to work with a trainer or experienced lifter so that you develop good habits early in your fitness journey.
Take Your Time
Getting stronger takes a long time. There are no shortcuts in fitness, no matter what anyone tells you. It takes months or even years to considerably increase your lifting capabilities. So, don’t be frustrated if you aren’t lifting as much as the guy next to you after you’ve been going to the gym for two weeks.
Lifting Don’ts
On the other side of the coin, there are a number of weightlifting mistakes that you should avoid. Let’s check out a couple of the major ones below.
Only Training One Muscle Group
For most guys, it’s the chest. For most women, it’s the glutes. Everyone has their favorite muscle group to train. However, this does not mean that you should only train this muscle group and exclude all of the others. If you do so, you’re likely to develop muscle imbalances and pain over time.
Skipping Cardio
As was previously discussed, weightlifting is great for one’s health. However, there are other modes of exercise that are equally, if not more important.
Cardio exercise, such as walking, running, swimming, and biking, is an essential form of exercise for heart and lung health. You should seek to perform at least 150 total minutes of moderate-intensity cardio each week, in addition to your resistance training program.
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