Whether you’re new to the gym or a veteran, weight training injuries can happen. The good news is that they can, for the most part, be avoided. Just follow these tips:
When you’re just starting out, or starting back up after a long layoff, ease into it. If you try and do too much too soon, the ligaments and tendons won’t be ready to handle the extra load.
Always warm up. This will get the blood flowing to your muscles, reducing the chance that you’ll strain them.
Make sure your form is correct. I see so many people in the gym trying to move as much weight as possible that they sacrifice form. That is the quickest way to end up hurt and out of the gym. Use the mirrors in the gym to check your own form, and periodically ask someone knowledgeable to double check you.
Keep your workouts balanced. When you don’t workout all body parts, you end up with muscle imbalances. This stresses the body and causes the stronger muscles to work harder to compensate for the under-trained ones.
Finally, listen to your body. You know the difference between normal muscle soreness and something else. When you feel “something else” ease up a little. If you start to feel aches and pains all the time, take a break and let the tendons and ligaments rest.
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