Weight Training is truly beneficial, when done right. It can help with building strength, muscle toning, and burning fat. On the other hand, if you do it wrong, you have the ability to injure yourself. Three main things you want to consider is when lifting weights are: your posture and form, the heaviness of the weights, and your breathing.
Form: When you use the correct form, you will be less likely to injure yourself, and the weight lifting will be more effective. Just as it is important for you to correctly lift boxes or other heavy items, it’s important for you to lift weights the right way. This includes picking them up, and laying them back down. Also, stand up straight. Good posture and form are key and will help you avoid pain and injuries.
Weights: Next, don’t start with super heavy weights. It’s normal to build up the amount of weights you can carry. Start with something that isn’t too light and isn’t too heavy. You should be able to do sets of 15. If you cannot, they are too heavy. When they start to become too easy, you increase the volume or heaviness, but don’t overdo it. You should be in control of the weights at all times. Your body will let you know if it’s more than you can handle. Listen and pay attention to your body signals. If you feel any pain, stop immediately. You may need rest for recovery, or even decrease the amount of weights you are lifting. Strength training isn’t about how fast you can do it, or even how heavy. Safety is priority.
Breathing: It’s common for most people to want to hold their breath when they are weightlifting, but this is not a good idea. Weightlifting can be intense, as you are building strength and muscle. So, breathing the right way is critical. It will ensure that your body is getting adequate amount of oxygen as you work out your muscles. Exhale when you lift the weight, and inhale when you move the weight away. Then, give yourself a minute break between sets, before you lifting start again.
When strength training, make sure that you give yourself at least a day to recover. It’s okay to lift weights each day, as long as you are working on different muscles groups. For example, you may want to do arms Mondays and Wednesdays, and legs Tuesdays and Thursdays. To get good results, you should be working out your muscles a minimum of two days a week, but also remember to rest your muscles. Also, make sure to do full body strength training. You may want to target certain areas, but it’s best to workout all muscles groups, for best results. Moreover, make sure that you have enough water intake, staying hydrated is another important factor because your muscles are 75% water.
If you don’t have any weights, you can do squats, pushups, sit-ups, lunges and planks to work on strength training. You will, again, want to make sure to rest between sets and stay hydrated.
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