Weight Lifting Safety Tips
Weightlifting is a safe activity that carries injury risks. You can reduce your risk of harming yourself by following basic common sense tips: Always respect equipment, stay alert, and focus on the task at hand. You should be able to enjoy lifelong training.
Free weight safety tips
One police officer was arching his back so badly over years of bench press that he eventually had to retire. Therefore, keep the following in mind during free weight training:
>>> Use proper form when lifting the weight off the rack. When lifting a dumbbell or barbell from a rack or lifting a barbell from a barbell, always bend at your knees (not from your hips) and approach the rack and keep your arms bent. The figure shows you how not to lift weight off the shelf.
>>> Pay attention when carrying weights. Hold the heavier weight plates with both hands. Keep the boards close to your body when you carry them. Watch where you’re going when you’re carrying the iron – turning backwards while pulling around a 7-foot rod can wreak serious havoc. Keep your elbows slightly bent when holding a dumbbell in each hand.
>>> Use collars. A hoop is a clamp-like device that you use to secure a weight plate to a rod. Often, when performing the barbell exercise, the bar is slightly inclined to one side; Without a collar, the panels might instantly slip and land on someone’s toes or crash into mirrors on the wall.
>>> Don’t drop weights on the floor. After completing a dumbbell bench press (such as a chest raise or a dumbbell chest press), raise the weights to your chest and gently rock in a seated position.
Some people simply forgo the weights, and this is not only a concern for other gym members but also unsafe because the weights can land anywhere and roll and cause dangers to others. Weights should always be controlled.
>>> Return the weights safely to the rack. When you’re done using weights, barbells, or weight plates, don’t bend straight with your knees locked and rest the weights on the rack. Instead, bend your knees, pull your abs, and hold the weights close to your body before releasing them.
Weight machine safety tips
One selling point of weight machines is that they are much safer than free weights. And that’s right – I’m not in danger of getting crushed by a 100-pound rod. The way machines create a safer environment is that they put your body in the correct position and direct the pattern of movement. However, if you are not careful, you may hurt yourself.
Follow these safety tips to keep yourself (and others) out of harm’s way:
>>> Each machine is custom fit. Some machines require one adjustment, such as seat height. Others require two or more modifications. For example, with some versions of the leg extension machine, you must adjust the backrest in addition to the leg bar.
Don’t worry – you don’t need a mechanic’s license to adapt these machines to your body. Usually, you just pull a pin out of the hole, lower or raise the seat, and then put the screw back in place. Some machines are so easy to adjust that they don’t even include a pin. With practice, fitting the machine to your body becomes second nature.
Don’t be lazy about making adjustments. Using a weight machine that doesn’t fit your body is like driving a car while sitting in the back seat: uncomfortable, if not downright dangerous. When you strain to reach for a handle or sit with your knees digging into your chest, you are at risk of muscle strain or joint soreness.
After making any adjustments, rock the seat or backrest to make sure it is locked firmly in place. You don’t want the seat to suddenly fall to the floor with you on it.
>>> Watch your fingers. Occasionally, the machine’s stack of weights gets stuck in the air. Do not try to correct the situation yourself by fiddling with the boards. Instead, contact a staff member for assistance.
>>> Fasten your seat belt. If the machine has a seat belt, use it. Belts are there for a reason. use them! The seat belt prevents you from wasting muscle strength in wrapping it around to stay in place while moving a rod or lever. You’re more likely to find seat belts on older models of inner/outer thigh machines, vest, seated leg benders, and triceps pull machines.
>>> Don’t invent new uses for machines. You wouldn’t use your favorite jacket for house dusting, would you? You will not use the TV as a step stool to access the upper cabinet. Therefore, do not use a chest machine to strengthen your legs.
People are constantly inventing new – and unsafe – ways to use weighing machines. For example: In order to release the chest bar on the vertical chest press, you must use your feet to press down on the bar near the floor. If you dreamed of new uses of the machine, then you may order injuries.