Weight Training
Weight training develops muscular strength and endurance in the same way that endurance exercise develops cardiovascular fitness. When the muscles are stressed by a greater load than they are used to, they adapt and improve their function. The type of adaptation that occurs depends on the type of stress applied.
Proper lifting technique includes the following:
- Keep weights as close to your body as possible.
- Do most of your lifting with your legs. Keep your hips and buttocks tucked in.
- When you pick a weight up from the ground, keep your back straight and your head level or up. Don't bend at the waist with straight legs.
- Don't twist your body while lifting.
- Lift weights smoothly and slowly; don't jerk them. Control the weight through the entire range of motion.
- Don't bounce weights against your body during an exercise.
- Never hold your breath when you lift. Exhale when exerting the greatest force, and inhale when moving the weight into position for the active phase of the lift. (Holding your breath causes a decrease in blood returning to the heart and can make you become dizzy and faint.)
- Rest between sets if you perform more than 1 set of each exercise. Fatigue hampers your ability to obtain maximum benefits from your program and is a prime cause of injury.
- When lifting barbells and dumbbells, wrap your thumbs around the bar when gripping it. You can easily drop the weight when using a "thumbless" grip.
- Gloves are not mandatory but may prevent calluses on your hands.
- When doing standing lifts, maintain a good posture so that you protect your back.
- Don't lift beyond the limits of your strength.