1) Warm-up. For some, the notion of being told to warm up is akin to a clich. Well, it is never a good idea to rush in and hit the weights because this can lead to a number of problems along the lines of serious injuries.
Performing a proper warm up raises the body's core temperature which aids in making the metabolism shift into gear while also "pre-lubricating" the joints in preparation for the upcoming workout. This allows the body to be ready to handle the weights.
Your warm-up should consist of 5-10 mins of moderate cardio on a treadmill or stationary bike, 5 minutes of light stretching and, as you get ready for the weights, 1-2 light sets before your "real" sets begin.
2) Stretch. Failure to stretch leads to a serious problem: your muscle bellies may shorten over a period of time and this will make you less flexible.A lack of flexibility will lead to a malformed appearance as well as scores of other common problems that are best avoided.
If a supporting muscle stiffens or becomes shortened, it will start interfering with the normal groove of your exercises. Not a big deal at first, but over time you train increasingly "wrong" and put a lot of extra stress on joints, ligaments and unintended secondary muscle groups. The cumulative effect over a couple of years can throw some serious curveballs at your bodybuilding efforts.
Stretching in between sets will flushes out lactic acid byproducts while also delivering fresh nutrients to the body which, in turn, allows you to be stronger in the next set. Post workout stretching also allows you to recover a lot faster in between workouts which may prove to be another excellent plus. Just be sure to stretch slowly and in a controlled manner to make sure you get positive results.
3) Control. It can be tempting to load up the big weights and cheat your way through the set. And sure enough, controlled cheating is a tried-and-true intensity boosting technique advocated by many prominent bodybuilders.
But, cheating should really only be performed at the end of a normal set in order to gain additional reps. Swaying or using momentum from the second rep on means you have selected too much weight and you can't workout effectively.
Another aspect of control is avoiding any type of bouncing, jerking or partial moves forced by necessity. In other words, if you stop halfway down in the negative phase of your biceps curls because you wouldn't be able to curl up otherwise, you're using too much weight.
4) Strong Abs. The midsection is home to the stabilizer muscles that hold the body together. When you fail to build a solid, balanced midsection, you will always be in danger of suffering a problem when performing overhead presses of other such exercise.
Weigh your options on a barbell military press. From your feet to hips, you will pretty much be standing straight. When you lean backwards in order to stay balanced while pushing the barbell upwards and the only form of protection your spine gains is from the abs. In reality, ab tension is critical for a safe starting position.
5) Safety Precautions. People buckle their seat belts when they get into their car not because they expect an accident to happen. They do so just in case one occurs their injuries will be minimized. Take this attitude into the gym with you.
You would not want to step on a calf machine only to discover problems with it that lead to an injury. Nor would you want to lift heavy weights on the bench press without a spotter. Again, safety should always be of paramount importance to anyone working out.
None of this is rocket-science, keeping these 5 steps in mind won't guarantee an injury-free life, but the odds and the severity of any incident should be drastically reduced. - 30414
Performing a proper warm up raises the body's core temperature which aids in making the metabolism shift into gear while also "pre-lubricating" the joints in preparation for the upcoming workout. This allows the body to be ready to handle the weights.
Your warm-up should consist of 5-10 mins of moderate cardio on a treadmill or stationary bike, 5 minutes of light stretching and, as you get ready for the weights, 1-2 light sets before your "real" sets begin.
2) Stretch. Failure to stretch leads to a serious problem: your muscle bellies may shorten over a period of time and this will make you less flexible.A lack of flexibility will lead to a malformed appearance as well as scores of other common problems that are best avoided.
If a supporting muscle stiffens or becomes shortened, it will start interfering with the normal groove of your exercises. Not a big deal at first, but over time you train increasingly "wrong" and put a lot of extra stress on joints, ligaments and unintended secondary muscle groups. The cumulative effect over a couple of years can throw some serious curveballs at your bodybuilding efforts.
Stretching in between sets will flushes out lactic acid byproducts while also delivering fresh nutrients to the body which, in turn, allows you to be stronger in the next set. Post workout stretching also allows you to recover a lot faster in between workouts which may prove to be another excellent plus. Just be sure to stretch slowly and in a controlled manner to make sure you get positive results.
3) Control. It can be tempting to load up the big weights and cheat your way through the set. And sure enough, controlled cheating is a tried-and-true intensity boosting technique advocated by many prominent bodybuilders.
But, cheating should really only be performed at the end of a normal set in order to gain additional reps. Swaying or using momentum from the second rep on means you have selected too much weight and you can't workout effectively.
Another aspect of control is avoiding any type of bouncing, jerking or partial moves forced by necessity. In other words, if you stop halfway down in the negative phase of your biceps curls because you wouldn't be able to curl up otherwise, you're using too much weight.
4) Strong Abs. The midsection is home to the stabilizer muscles that hold the body together. When you fail to build a solid, balanced midsection, you will always be in danger of suffering a problem when performing overhead presses of other such exercise.
Weigh your options on a barbell military press. From your feet to hips, you will pretty much be standing straight. When you lean backwards in order to stay balanced while pushing the barbell upwards and the only form of protection your spine gains is from the abs. In reality, ab tension is critical for a safe starting position.
5) Safety Precautions. People buckle their seat belts when they get into their car not because they expect an accident to happen. They do so just in case one occurs their injuries will be minimized. Take this attitude into the gym with you.
You would not want to step on a calf machine only to discover problems with it that lead to an injury. Nor would you want to lift heavy weights on the bench press without a spotter. Again, safety should always be of paramount importance to anyone working out.
None of this is rocket-science, keeping these 5 steps in mind won't guarantee an injury-free life, but the odds and the severity of any incident should be drastically reduced. - 30414
About the Author:
Stop wasting your time, effort and money on B.S. "Miracle Programs" that don't deliver results! Learn the honest truth revealed by a real Body Building expert and finally start noticing the gains you want. Visit us to read more Muscle Building Articles
