Know how to Avoid Injury After a Long Break!
Safety tips for weightlifting
While having a strong core can help prevent injuries during weightlifting, Christina Brown, MS (exercise science), certified nutrition and fitness coach, said it’s not necessary to have a strong core before jumping into weightlifting.
“Instead, they should start slow, start with lighter weights, and because they will be using their core to stabilize and keep correct form, they will build their core muscles as they build the other muscles they are working,” Brown told Healthline.
Incorporating core strengthening exercises that don’t require weights is possible, too.
“Because most core exercises are done with just your body weight, it is possible to work your core more often as it doesn’t need as long of a recovery as, say, your chest and shoulders would need after doing a bench press with a challenging weight,” Brown said.
Other tips Brown suggested include:
Get help from a personal trainer
A certified personal trainer can create a personalized program specific to you based on your experience, injuries, goals, and more. They can also teach proper and safe lifting techniques.
“[They] will make sure that you execute each exercise in a way that will prevent injuries…they will determine what a safe weight is to begin with and when you are ready to increase the amount of weight you are lifting,” said Brown.
Start slow
If you’ve never lifted weights before, don’t pick up a 50-pound dumbbell.
“Weightlifting is meant to stress your muscles so that they can repair themselves and thus grow, but starting with too heavy a weight will cause injury as opposed to just stress,” said Brown.
Add in cardio and flexibility training
Although lifting is the main form of exercise Brown recommends to her clients who want to lose weight and reduce fat, she said it’s important to add in cardiovascular training because of the benefits it brings to heart health.
She also suggests working on flexibility and mobility because they aid in the ability to perform weightlifting exercises correctly.
“For example, in order to perform a squat, you need to have good mobility in your ankles, knees, hips, and thoracic spine. Having good flexibility and mobility will also help to prevent injuries (both during exercise and during activities of daily living),” she said.
Take days off
Giving muscles time to recover is essential. In fact, Brown said when weightlifting, muscles need at least 48 hours of recovery before working them again.
“There are many ways to split up your workouts depending on your schedule and your goals, but the main thing to make sure of is to not work the same muscle two days in a row. That will overstress the muscles, not give it enough time to rest and repair, and can lead to injuries,” she said.
Stop lifting if you feel pain
Pain while lifting is a sign that you are lifting incorrectly and need to stop.
“When you have the correct form for a lifting exercise, you should only feel the muscles you are focusing on working hard; you should never feel pain in the muscles or the joints,” said Brown.