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Safety
The lumbar spine must be kept straight during the squat and the deadlift.Weight
training can be one of the safest forms of exercise, especially when the
movements are slow, controlled, and carefully defined. However, as with any form
of exercise, improper execution can result in injury. When the exercise becomes
difficult towards the end of a set, there is a temptation to cheat, i.e. to use
poor form to recruit other muscle groups to assist the effort. This may shift
the effort to weaker muscles that cannot handle the weight. For example, the
squat and the deadlift are used to exercise the largest muscles in the body—the
leg and buttock muscles—so they require substantial weight. Beginners are
tempted to round their back while performing these exercises. This causes the
weaker lower back muscles to support much of the weight, which can result in
serious lower back injuries. To avoid such problems, weight training exercises
must be performed correctly. Hence the saying: "train, don't strain".
A lifting belt is sometimes worn to help support the lower back.An exercise
should be halted if marked or sudden pain is felt, to prevent further injury.
However, not all discomfort indicates injury. Weight training exercises are
brief but very intense, and many people are unaccustomed to this level of
effort. The expression "no pain, no gain" refers to working through the
discomfort expected from such vigorous effort, rather than to willfully ignore
extreme pain, which may indicate serious soft tissue injuries.
Discomfort can arise from other factors. Individuals who perform large numbers
of repetitions, sets and exercises for each muscle group may experience lactic
acid build-up in their muscles. This is experienced as a burning sensation in
the muscle, but it is perfectly harmless. These individuals may also experience
a swelling sensation in their muscles from increased blood flow (the "pump"),
which is also harmless. True muscle fatigue is experienced as a marked and
uncontrollable loss of strength in a muscle, arising from the nervous system
(motor unit) rather than from the muscle fibers themselves. Extreme neural
fatigue can be experienced as temporary muscle failure. Some weight training
programs actively seek temporary muscle failure; evidence to support this type
of training is mixed at best. Irrespective of their program, however, most
athletes engaged in high-intensity weight training will experience muscle
failure from time to time.
Beginners are advised to build up slowly to a weight training programme.
Untrained individuals may have some muscles that are comparatively stronger than
others. An injury can result if, in a particular exercise, the primary muscle is
stronger than its stabilising muscles. Building up slowly allows muscles time to
develop appropriate strengths relative to each other. This can also help to
minimise delayed onset muscle soreness. A sudden start to an intense programme
can cause significant muscular soreness. Unexercised muscles contain
cross-linkages that are torn during intense exercise.
The Cross Trainer exercise machine can be used to warm up muscles in both the
upper and lower body.Weight trainers commonly spend 5 to 20 minutes warming up
their muscles with aerobic exercise before starting a workout. They also stretch
muscles after they have been exercised. The exercises are performed at a steady
pace, taking at least two to four seconds to lift and lower the weight, to avoid
jerks that can damage muscles and joints.
Exercises where a barbell is held above the body, which can result in injury if
the weight drops onto the lifter, are normally performed inside a squat cage or
in the presence of one or more spotters, who can safely re-rack the barbell if
the weight trainer is unable to do so.
Anyone beginning an intensive physical training programme is typically advised
to consult a physician, because of possible undetected heart or other conditions
for which such activity is contraindicated.
Using a wrist strap.There have been mixed reviews regarding the use of
weightlifting belts and other devices, such as lifting straps. Critics claim
that they allow the lifter to use more weight than they should. In addition, the
stabiliser muscles in the lower back and gripping muscles in the forearms
receive less benefit from the exercises.
Wrist straps (also known as cow ties or lifting straps) are sometimes used to
assist in gripping very heavy weights. The straps wrap around the wrist and tuck
around the bar or weight being lifted, transferring the mass of the weight to
the wrist rather than the fingers. They are particularly useful for the deadlift.
Some lifters avoid using wrist straps in order to develop their grip strength.
Wrist straps can allow a lifter initially to use more weight than they might be
able to handle safely for an entire set, but can place potentially harmful
stress on the bones of the wrist. Wrist curls and reverse wrist curls can be
performed as an alternative to straps to improve grip strength.
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