FITNESS CLUB - Kenneth Gardner
Injuries do happen during weight training. Put together exerting maximum physical effort, rapid exercise movements, elaborate machinery and you have a dangerous weight training room, if adequate precautions are not taken.
To ensure that your workout sessions are safe and productive, I have outlined a number of guidelines for you to follow:
1) Always use proper lifting technique - Every exercise movement is composed of specific techniques which are important for maximum benefit and to prevent injury. If you are unaware of the specific techniques involved in performing different exercises and in using different weight machines, ask the weight room instructor for help. Never assume that you already know enough. Try to perform the exercises smoothly and with proper form. Begin by lifting or pushing the weight forcefully during the active phase of the lift, then lowering it slowly and with control.
2) Use spotters and collars with free weights - Using spotters is extremely important when doing exercises that have potential for danger. An unbalanced weight that is out of control may fall and cause serious injury. A spotter can assist you to complete a lift, especially in cases where the weight becomes uncontrollable. A spotter may also assist by helping to move a weight into position before a lift and provide help or additional resistance during a lift. Spotting requires practice and good coordination between the lifter and the spotter.
Collars are devices used to secure weights to a barbell or dumb-bell. Although individuals may attempt to lift weights without collars, it's a dangerous practice. It is quite easy to lose your balance or to raise one side of the weight faster than the other. Without the use of collars, the weights on one side of the bar will slip, and the weights on the opposite side could crash to the floor.
When working out with free weights, the following lifting techniques should be noted:
Keep the weights as close as possible to your body.
Do most of your lifting with your legs. Keep your hips and buttocks tucked in.
When you pick up any weight from the ground, keep your back straight and your head up. Don't bend at the waist with straight legs.
Don't twist your body while lifting.
Lift weight smoothly and slowly. Control the weight through the entire range of motion.
Here are a few exercises for you to get your workout started.
Decline dumb-bell bench press (chest exercise)
Position yourself on an inclined bench, flat on your back.
Have your spotter hand you each dumb-bell and slowly press them upward together.
Be sure to lower the dumb-bells in a slow and controlled fashion.
Conversely, when you press them upward, do it in an explosive fashion.
Repeat movement.
Two-arm hammer dumb-bell rows (back exercise)
Grab a dumb-bell in each hand.
Bend forward at your waist so that your chest is leaning forward over your feet.
Keep knees slightly bent and your feet about shoulder-width apart.
Start with arms fully extended, allowing the dumb-bells to hang straight down at about shin level.
Palms facing inward, lift the dumb-bells up into your stomach area.
Return to the start position and repeat.
EZ bar concentrated curls (biceps curls)
Grab an EZ curl bar with both hands, using an underhand grip and then sit at the end of a flat bench with your elbows just inside your thighs.
Rest elbows on your inner thighs, just a few inches up from your knees.
Slowly curl the bar up so as to try to touch it to your nose.
Return to start and repeat.
Kenneth Gardner is an exercise physiologist at the G C Foster College of Physical Education: email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
