You don’t have to be a bodybuilder or a professional athlete to enjoy the benefits of bodybuilding. When done right, weight training can help you lose fat, increase your strength and muscle tone, and improve your bone density. If this is not done right, weight training will not give you these benefits – it can even lead to injury.
Do you want to give yourself a boost physically and mentally?
Follow these steps to start lifting weights today!
It would help if you learned the correct weightlifting model in a weight training program. The way some people lift weights, you might think they were giving birth or imitating a mountain gorilla. Squeaking, screaming, and waving back and forth are not signs of proper strength training.
When lifting weights in a weight training program, the following rules are always applied:
Before lifting weights, do aerobic exercise for at least five minutes to warm the muscles and make them flexible. If you are going to do arm exercises and there are no upper body aerobic machines, you can do a few minutes of arm circles.
Being in good posture is always more important than lifting a lot of weight. Do not arch your back, press your neck, or rock your body to generate momentum. Not only can these maneuvers cause an injury, but they also make exercises less effective.
Increase your weight in the smallest increment possible. Moving from 5 pounds to 10 pounds doesn’t look like a big jump, but think about it: you double the load on these muscles. If you are using a 5-pound weight, switch to a 6, 7, or 8-pound weight.
Remember to breathe. In general, exhale forcefully through your mouth when lifting weight and inhale deeply through your nose when you lower it. Please don’t overdo it, because too much breathing can make you lightheaded. While proper breathing is important to speed up the oxygenation of your muscles, do not hang up on mechanics. Do not hold your breath (unless you are a world-class lifting player, and aim to raise record amounts of weight). You can cause your blood pressure to rise too high, and you may run out of the air and faint.
You can learn bodybuilding techniques by watching friends or others in the gym, but sometimes what you see is unsafe. Incorrect bodybuilding techniques may lead to sprains, strains, fractures, and other painful injuries that can hinder your bodybuilding efforts. Learn to do each exercise accurately. When lifting weights, move within the full range of motion in your joints. The better your form, the better are your results, and less likely you will harm yourself. If you can’t maintain a good shape, reduce the weight or the number of repetitions.
If you are not sure whether you are performing a specific exercise properly, seek help from a personal trainer or other fitness professional.
If you are just starting, work with a knowledgeable bodybuilder – a physiotherapist, gym instructor, or other fitness professionals who know appropriate bodybuilding techniques. If you have been using weights for some time, consider scheduling time with your coach to check your style and identify any changes you may have to make.
Use a full set of movements. In other words, pull or push as much as you are supposed to. Using a full range of motion improves your flexibility. However, you do not want to go beyond the normal range of motion, as this may cause joint injury.
The most valuable benefit of resistance training is that weightlifting allows you to work better on a daily basis. You carry shopping, pick up your kids, and move furniture quickly. It also helps you to be better at mental health: become more confident and feel more happy with endorphins!