What you need to know about lifting weights

Lifting weights has many health and aesthetic benefits and contrary to popular belief, it isn’t just reserved for body builders and professional athletes. Weight lifting can aid with weight loss, improving bone density, increasing muscle tone and strength and more. It can be quite intimidating lifting weights at the gym when you aren’t knowledgeable about the basics of weight training and can easily lead to injury if not done correctly. This is why equipping yourself with information and knowing the basic do’s and don’ts of weight training is important.  

Here’s what you need to know about lifting weights:  

1.Always warm up beforehand

Before you lift weights, you have to warm your muscles up. You can do this by taking a 5-to-10-minute walk on the treadmill, jumping rope, jogging in place, and even stretching. By warming up your muscles, you greatly decrease your chances of getting injured.  

2.Wear shoes that provide great traction

The shoes you wear should be comfortable and provide good traction so that you don’t accidentally slip and injure yourself. Invest in a quality shoe brand that will last you a long time as opposed to opting for a less expensive brand that may wear out quickly thereby hampering your ability to do the exercises.  

3.Make sure you learn the correct form

Doing a weight lifting exercise incorrectly is just as bad as not doing it at all. You won’t reap the benefits of the exercise if it’s not done properly and could even result in you hurting yourself badly. You can watch video tutorials online to learn more about how to do a particular weight lifting exercise properly or you can ask a personal trainer to assist. Another option is to get an experienced gym buddy that will guide you with correct technique.  

4.Take your time when lifting weights

Take it slow when lifting weights. This will help you target specific muscle groups and build strength overtime.  

5.Start small and work your way up

Don’t start with the heaviest weight you can possibly lift. Just because you can lift it once, it doesn’t mean you should be lifting it repeatedly. Pick a weight you can lift for at least 3 sets of 12 repetitions and as time progresses, you can slowly increase the heaviness of the weights you use.  

6.Switch muscle groups

Try not to exercise the same muscle groups in a row. Always switch to give your muscles the chance to rest. Creating a weight training schedule that details which muscle group you’ll be working out on specific days will be quite beneficial.  

7.Don’t forget to breathe

Don’t hold your breath as you lift weights. It is recommended that you breathe out when lifting the weight and breathe in as you slowly lower it. This will help you create good momentum.  

8.You may experience delayed onset muscle soreness

It’s normal to be a little sore after lifting weights, especially if it’s your first time. This is known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and it often becomes evident a day to 3 days after exercise.   You can treat DOMS by getting a massage, staying hydrated, and getting enough rest.  

9.Get enough rest and your muscles will grow

Rest days aid with muscle growth, so make sure you slot in some time off in between your weight lifting workouts so that you can actually see the results of your labour.    

Take the above points into consideration when adopting a weight training regime to prevent injury and reap the benefits associated with weight lifting.