Every year hundreds of people get hurt at the gym and are then forced to take weeks, months and sometime even years off from working out. These types of injuries are more common then they should be. Lifting weights will undoubtedly compound your injury many times over, and you should try to avoid this at all costs. Below are some tips to help reduce your chances of getting hurt in the weight room.
1. Warm upThis is very important, as one of the leading injuries is pulled muscles. This is easily caused by working out cold and stiff muscles. In order to warm your muscles up spend about 5-10 minutes on the treadmill or doing aerobics, then take about 30% of the weight you will be using and simply do about 8 reps just to get the blood moving to the muscle groups you will be working out. Take the time to stretch the muscles as well, this will promote more elasticity within the muscle.
2. Don’t lift more than you can handleThis is also a huge reason that people get injured. When you come into the gym the best place for your ego is at the door or at home. The key here is to lift a weight that you can handle, and when I say the word handle I mean with perfect form. If you notice that you have to use other muscles and body parts to gain momentum, or if you notice that you’re shaking a lot, or you have to cheat in any way shape or form to get the weight up then your going to heavy. This kind of situation is the perfect recipe for torn muscles and ligaments.
3. Lift with perfect formPerfect form is not only going to keep you off the injured list but is also going to help to give your muscles a better more thorough workout. When lifting weights it is very important that you lift with in a slow and controlled manner. There should be about a count of 2 for the negative portion of the rep a hold of 1 and then 2 seconds for the positive portion of the rep. This will help to stop the sudden weight change and strain to your muscles.
4. Get enough restYour muscles after being torn apart during a workout need rest, and usually a fair amount of it. Muscles repair themselves when they are at rest. It is recommended that your give your muscles a full 4-5 days before working them out again. Too many times people think that the more they work out the more their muscles will grow. I have news for you this is not true and can actually be quite the opposite. If you are not allowing enough rest for your muscles to repair themselves then you risk actually losing muscle.
Working out is fun and beneficial, however; it can also be very dangerous if you’re not practicing proper form and or practices. Keep these tips in mind as it may save you from having to take time off from working out due to an injury.