It’s common knowledge that exercise is very healthy. However, there is also an inherent risk in any form of physical training: the risk of injury. This is why I bring before you these exercise safety tips. If you follow these tips, the chances of you suffering from workout injury will be much lower.
Learn Proper Form
There’s no way to do things properly if you don’t know how. For that you must learn. You need to accept that you don’t always have a natural feel for how an exercise should be done correctly and that it is not beneath you to learn.
Form is everything. It is the foundation of workout safety and effectiveness. That’s right: working correctly not only keeps you safe, but also gives you better results.
Focus
Lifting weights is dangerous business, unless you focus. You need to concentrate on the movement to make sure you’re doing it right. So, don’t watch TV, don’t look around, don’t think about something else. Just keep your mind on the exercise itself and you will do it better and safer.
Use The Trainers
While not all trainers are big experts, most of them still know more about fitness than you do. You have a trainer at your gym. You’re paying for them to be there, so use them. Have them show you how to workout properly, get them to structure your workout correctly, ask them to watch you as you perform new exercises. This will help you create a safe and effective routine.
Use a Spotter
Some exercises can’t be done alone… safely that is. They require another person to spot you. These are exercises that require you to lift heavy loads above yourself without the ability to throw them aside if need be. Barbell chest presses and shoulder presses are two such exercises.
Don’t perform these exercises without a spotter. Imagine a heavy barbell pressing down on your chest, cutting your airflow. It’s not a pretty picture. It can be quite painful and dangerous.
Don’t Talk During Lifting
One of the biggest exercise mistakes I see is when people talk while lifting weights. They actually have a conversation while they’re pumping iron. Not only does this ruin any control they have over the breathing, but it also reduces their focus.
Keep quiet while you’re lifting. This is not the time to talk. Wait until you finish your set.
Don’t Exaggerate Your Own Strength
This is one of the mistakes that men often do: they think that they’re stronger than they really are. They try to lift loads which are far beyond their true capabilities. This is because men are physical competitors so when they see other guys lift heavy weights they want to do it too.
You need to build your strength up gradually. With each new load make sure that you can still perform the exercise correctly. This is how you improve your abilities in the safe way.
Drink
This is a very different sort of tip, but it is crucial to your exercise safety.
If you do an intense workout you will be sweating hard. You need to replace these fluids to stay sharp and avoid dizziness. So, drink during your workouts. Keep a bottle nearby. When you do, you will find that your workouts get better.
Finally, remember that an injury can keep you out of the gym for months and ruin all the progress you worked so hard to achieve. So, take things slowly, be cautious and you will see excellent results without compromising safety.
