As a bodybuilder you are going to be training hard, so it is essential that you do your utmost to take care of your muscles and prevent injury. Before you do anything you should read up on safe bodybuilding practices such as proper lifting techniques, warming up and cooling down. Here we shall discuss some tips on how to stay safe down the gym.
This Is Essential…
The most important thing that you should do is a proper warm up followed by a warm down at the end of you session. Spend at least 15 minutes warming up; 5 minutes of light aerobic exercise such as jogging then 10 minutes of stretching to loosen off and prepare your body for activity. Lift some light weights before you get started on the serious stuff to prepare your muscles for the stress you’re about to put them under.
Know Your Limits
The next important thing you should know is your limits for each exercise, everyone is different, so don’t try to lift more than you feasibly can, as you could get injured. Make sure that your workout is intense, but never sacrifice good form to try and lift heavier weights, as this is a recipe for disaster. If you are lifting weights you should be able to do at least eight reps, if you can’t, reduce the weight until you build up your strength. You’ll get better results by pushing yourself close to your max than you will if you overexert yourself. You’ll find you’ll get better definition and muscle increase by being close to this threshold than trying in vain to train above it.
Spot This…
When you are lifting large amounts of weights you need to have a spotter, especially for when you are doing exercises such as the bench press. Ideally your spotter should be someone of a similar strength as you, as they will be able to help you out if you get in trouble. Make sure that you help them by returning the favour once you’ve finished on the machine. Ideally your spotter should be your training partner as if anything were to happen to you they would know you, and be able to help staff contact the necessary people. Plus your training partner will help you hit your goals and keep you motivated.
Once you know your training program and have been shown the proper form, try working out in front of a mirror to keep your form in check, as it is easy to pick up injuries by not maintaining the correct form. If you have a training partner ask them to keep an eye on your form too, if not, ask a gym trainer to help you out. Follow the basic fundamentals and use your common sense and you shouldn’t go to far wrong. Finally, make sure you have a solid and proven training program, don’t just try and ‘wing it’ as you go or you’ll come unstuck, get injured and won’t get the results you want.
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