Safe Weight Training

Vocabulary

  • dietary supplement: Any substance taken to provide nutrients that may be missing from an individual's diet.

  • spotter: A person responsible for assisting a weightlifter to weight train safely.

Common Causes of Injury

  • Unsafe environment

  • Faulty equipment

  • Weak joints or muscles

  • Overtraining or fatigue

  • Lack of flexibility

  • Poor lifting technique

Unsafe Environment

  • Be aware of hazards in the weight room

  • Equipment lying on the floor or other tripping hazards

  • Broken or unstable flooring, walls, or ceiling

  • Make sure there is proper air ventilation and a comfortable temperature

  • A proper amount for space for movement (no crowding)

Faulty Equipment

  • Check equipment before using it

  • Know how the equipment is supposed to work

  • Rack or leave weight equipment in proper fashion to avoid undue wear or tear

Weak Muscles or Joints

  • Lifting excessive weight with weak muscles or joints can cause injury

  • Perform muscular fitness testing before starting any program

  • Be realistic about training goals

  • Avoid exercises that will exacerbate current problems

  • Modify exercises so that they can be done correctly and safely

Overtraining and Fatigue

  • Follow prescribed lists of sets and repetitions

  • Allow sufficient time for recovery in each muscle group

  • Get sufficient sleep

  • Make sure to get proper nutrition

  • Listen to your body and know your limits

Signs of Overtraining and Fatigue

Increased

  • Resting heart rate

  • Resting blood pressure

  • Recovery time

  • Irritability and depression

  • Incidence of injury

  • Incidence of infection

Decreased

  • Maximal power output

  • Sports performance

  • Weight and appetite

  • Desire to exercise


Lack of Flexibility

  • Incorporate a period of warming up and stretching before each work out

  • Warm up before stretching

  • Stretches should be static (no bouncing)

  • Thoroughly stretch after workout

Poor Technique

  • Lower back, shoulders, and knees are most frequently injured

Maintain proper technique

  • Straight back

  • Avoid locking joints

  • Keep the head still

  • Keep elbows and knees within range of motion

  • Use a spotter

Safety and Spotters

  • Safe weightlifting often requires the assistance of a spotter

  • A spotter assists a weightlifter throughout a workout

  • Has several responsibilities, including preventing injury

Spotting

  • Key Responsibilities of the Spotter

  • Assist the lifter in moving the weight in a smooth, steady motion at all times

  • Observe weight-lifting technique to ensure proper form

  • Motivate lifter to maintain intensity level

Spotting Technique

  • Wide stance with one foot in front and one foot in back

  • Back is in a straight, upright position

  • Body and hands in a ready position at all times

  • Eyes are always watching the weight and the lifter

Using a Spotter

  • Spotters are necessary for many free-weights lifts

  • Bench press

  • Squat

  • Dead lift

  • Overhead press

  • Not all lifts require the assistance of a spotter

  • Goof to always have a partner

Bench Press Spotting

  • Wide stance

  • Back upright

  • Hands underneath the bar

  • Hand inside of lifters hands

  • Watch the bar

  • Help re-rack weights

Squat Spotting

  • Wide stance

  • Back upright

  • Hands underneath the arms of the lifter

  • Move up and down with the lifter

  • Watch the bar

Dead Lift Spotting

  • Wide stance

  • Back upright

  • Hands near the lower back

  • Do not touch the lifter or bar during the exercise

  • Watch the lifter

  • Be sure that the lifter doesn’t fall backwards

Overhead Press Spotting

  • Wide stance

  • Back upright

  • Hands underneath the bar

  • Hand inside of lifters hands

  • Watch the bar

  • Help re-rack weights

Supplements and Drugs

  • Supplements and drugs are frequently used to improve performance and appearance

  • Most are ineffective and expensive

  • Many are dangerous

What is the Difference?

Drugs

  • Undergo stringent government testing

  • Approved by the Food and Drug Administration

Supplements

  • Marketed without any testing for safety or effectiveness

  • The FDA can take action against unsafe supplements after they are on the market

Evaluating Supplements and Drugs

Is it necessary?

  • Health and athletic performance can be achieved through a well-balanced diet and proper training

Is it safe and effective?

  • Check credible sources for information on supplements

Is it a quality product?

  • No regulation on the quality of supplements

Supplement and Drug Categories

  • Muscle Growth

  • Muscle Recovery

  • Workout Intensity

  • Muscle Endurance

  • Weight Control

Muscle Growth

  • Supplements and drugs that increase muscle growth

  • Most are controlled substances

  • Require a prescription to legally obtain

  • Serious consequences if taken illegally

Supplements and Drugs for Muscle Growth

  • Anabolic steroids

  • Growth hormone

  • Insulin

  • Protein supplements

Anabolic Steroids

Side Effects

  • Liver damage and tumors, heart disease, depressed sperm and testosterone production, high blood pressure, acne, breast development in males, masculinization in women and children, cancer

Growth Hormone

Side Effects

  • Elevated blood sugar, high insulin levels, carpal tunnel syndrome, heart enlargement, increased blood fat levels, acromegaly

Insulin

Side Effects

  • Insulin shock, coma, death

Protein supplements

Side Effects

  • Dangerous for people with kidney or liver disease

Muscle Recovery

  • Supplements and drugs that replenish depleted fuel supplies

  • Creatine monohydrate

  • Chromium picolinate

Increase Training Intensity

  • Supplements and drugs that help increase training intensity and overcome fatigue

  • Amphetamines

  • Caffeine

Increase Endurance

  • Supplements and drugs that boost performance in endurance events

  • Erythropoietin

  • Darbepoetin

Weight Control

  • Supplements and drugs that affect metabolic rate, increase muscle definition, and suppress appetite

  • Prescription appetite suppressants

  • Over-the-counter stimulants

  • Dinitrophenol (DPN)

  • Diuretics

follow prescribed sets and reps, allowing sufficient time for recovery in each muscle group, getting enough sleep, making sure to get proper nutrition, listening to your body, and knowing your limits.

Five possible reasons for taking supplements or drugs as part of a a workout regimen are to improve muscle growth, muscle recovery, workout intensity, muscle endurance, and weight control.

Drugs are not allowed to be sold until they are approved by the FDA, while supplements go right to the market and deal with problems after they are sold. Drugs are put through a series of stringent tests before they are approved, while supplements are sold with no testing on effectiveness or safety. Both can be used to treat conditions. Both can be used to enhance workouts.