Weight exercise is compulsory in the gym. In fact, your fitness programs won’t be effective without it. However, lifting those dumbbells and barbells is not as easy as it seems. If you use the wrong muscles, you can injure yourself. If you push yourself too much, the impact on your body won’t be pretty, either.
Therefore, before you start to hit the gym, read these safety precautions first. Remember to take notes if necessary.
Get the Right Equipment
Weightlifting requires equipment. And the basics are:
1. Shoes
Maybe you won’t focus on your leg muscles, but you still need to get a decent pair of shoes. Your hands are indeed the limbs that do the lifting, but the whole weight will be channeled through your body, and, eventually, your legs, then your feet. If the shoes you’re wearing are slippery and do not fit well, you will be at risk of falling. And during weightlifting, such an accident can be fatal.
2. Wrist Wraps
Wrists are the most brittle bones in your body. And although minor injuries, like sprain, can recover without intense medical attention, why waste your time by risking yourself of preventable harm? Wrist wraps keep your hands well-supported during the lifting.
3. Knee Sleeves
Knee sleeves function similarly to your shoes. They are meant to support your knees while your upper body restraint against the weight. And just like your wrists, your knees have ligaments and cartilage tissues that can be vulnerable to tearing. However, the damage on your knee can be permanent. Therefore, invest in a good pair of knee sleeves first!
Learn the Right Breathing Technique
Have you ever seen videos on YouTube about a fainting weightlifter? There can be two reasons for that to happen. First, the athlete’s body was too exhausted for the lifting. Second, they might use the wrong breathing technique.
When you put pressure on your body, you breathe out, not breathe in! If you breathe in, the oxygenated blood won’t reach your brain, and you will pass out. If you breathe in before you lift the weight, the oxygenated blood in your body can distribute to all organs evenly. But why bother to breathe out, then? It is because as soon as you put strains on your muscles, the muscles use up the oxygenated blood and need it to start the whole cycle over again.
Don’t Exercise Alone
Weightlifting can be fatal. Imagine passing out while holding a 100 pounds barbell. Broken bones and permanent impairment can be the result of such an accident. Therefore, ask a friend to accompany you during your workout session. Even better, why don’t you spend some of your health budgets to hire a personal coach? Not only will they keep you safe from making mistakes, but they will also teach you how to lift weights the pro way.…