Every year, thousands of people get injured at the gym as a result of strength training. If you go to the gym regularly, you probably feel as though you lift weights safely and are not putting yourself at risk. But, the truth is that you are making training mistakes at the gym. Those mistakes just haven't caught up to you yet.
In order to avoid injury while strength training, there are 5 common training mistakes that you should keep in mind every time you set foot in the gym. Try to avoid them in order to avoid injuring yourself.
1. Exercising Until Muscles Fail
A "spotter" can be helpful if you use strength training. He can help you should you fail to complete the number of repetitions that you're trying to do. But, the spotter should not have to help you every time you do a set at the gym. If you're training your muscles until they fail, you're putting yourself at risk for injury.
2. Too Many Repetitions
If you want to bulk up and add muscle, you're going to need to work hard in the gym. But, working hard is not the same as overworking yourself. Many people are injured every year because they try and do more than a dozen repetitions while strength training. Instead, you should only be doing about five repetitions of an exercise during strength training. This works your muscles hard but doesn't overwork them to the point that you could end up injured after your workout.
3. Fatiguing Muscles Early
You always want to warm up your muscles before strength training. But, there's a big difference between warming them up and giving them a workout! If you normally work out with 250 pounds of weight during strength training and complete 3-5 repetitions, then warm up with about 150 pounds and complete the same 3-5 reps. It's natural to want to bang out 10-15 reps at the 150-pound stage, but that could leave your muscles at risk when you move up in weight. Instead, concentrate on each rep during your warmups, and make sure you're making the most of it.
4. Not Resting Enough Between Sets
Strength training can really get you amped up. But between sets, you should be taking 2-3 minutes to let your muscles rest. The key is to let them rest just long enough that you catch them on the next set when they are almost healed. Thus, you'll be making each set more effective. By not resting, you could be putting yourself at serious risk to tear a muscle, and you won't be getting the most out of your workout.
5. Rushing Through Strength Training Repetitions
Every time you complete a repetition during a set, you should pause slightly. Going too quickly could result in a pulled muscle and could also dislodge the weights you are using. Take your time and make every rep count.
Avoiding Injuries While Strength Training
You want to get results from your strength training workouts. But, you also need to be careful as you workout and avoid making any of these mistakes. It only takes one small mistake to result in an injury that could put you out of the gym for months at a time. Take every precaution to avoid these 5 strength training mistakes.
