Want to take your weight lifting to the next level? Whether you’re a gym newbie or a seasoned lifter, there’s always room to improve your results and push yourself further. In this blog, we’ll be sharing essential weight lifting tips that you can easily incorporate into your routine.
From mastering proper form to fueling your workouts for maximum gains, we’ll cover everything you need to know to level up your lifts and reach your fitness goals.
Tips For Weight Lifting
1. Choose your equipment
When it comes to weight lifting, you have a toolbox full of options to choose from. This includes weight lifting equipment like free weights, dumbbells, weight machines, and resistance bands.
There are even exercises that use just your body weight, requiring no equipment at all! The best choice depends on your budget and what you enjoy most. The good news is, they all work to improve your fitness – as long as you use them properly.
2. Warm up
Your muscles get grumpy if they’re cold. To avoid any ouchies, it’s best to warm them up before you jump into weight lifting. A brisk walk for 5-10 minutes is a great way to get your blood flowing.
You can also do some stretches that move your body, like leg swings or arm circles. These are called dynamic stretches and they’ll help get your muscles nice and loose. Think of it like warm up your car engine before you drive – it’ll run much smoother.
3. Start light
Don’t go overboard with the weights right away, especially when you’re new to weight lifting. It’s like training for a race – you wouldn’t start by sprinting a marathon. Begin with lighter or medium weights for the first few sessions.
This will help your muscles get used to the exercises and prevent them from getting too sore. It’ll also lower your risk of getting hurt. You can always add more weight later as you get stronger.
4. Increase weight slowly
As you get stronger, you can slowly add more weight to your lifts over a few weeks, like 2 to 4. You’ll know it’s time to bump up the weight when you can easily do 10 to 15 repetitions of an exercise. Basically, those last few reps should feel challenging, like your muscles are saying “uncle!” This is a good sign you’re pushing yourself and building strength.
5. Pay attention to pain
Weight lifting should actually make you feel better, not worse. If you feel a sharp pain that won’t go away, stop doing that exercise right away. It’s kind of like telling your body “ow, that’s not right!” Done properly, weight lifting can actually make your bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles stronger – like giving them a superhero suit.
6. Lift slowly
Lifting weights is all about control, not flinging them around. Jerking the weights can lead to injury, especially if you’re using bad form or trying to lift too much weight. Instead, lift the weight slowly and smoothly, taking about two seconds to raise it.
Lowering it should take even longer, like four seconds or more. Think of it as if you’re trying to be super gentle with the weight. This slow and steady approach will actually make your muscles work harder and help you get stronger in the long run.
7. Build in rest
When you’re weight lifting, push yourself until your muscles feel tired, but not totally wiped out. This is called working them to fatigue. After that, give those muscles a good rest for at least 48 hours to recover and rebuild themselves.
That way, they’ll be stronger next time. It’s also a good idea to focus on two or three weight lifting sessions per week for each major muscle group. This gives your muscles enough time to rest and grow stronger between workouts.
8. Seek variety
A good weight lifting routine will hit all the main muscle groups in your body. This means exercises for your legs, back, chest, belly, arms, and shoulders. Aim for somewhere between 8 and 12 different exercises to give your whole body a workout.
9. Focus on one set
When you’re weight lifting, focus on doing each exercise correctly rather than doing a ton of sets. Aim for at least one set of 10 to 15 repetitions for each exercise. This might surprise you, because in the past, people thought you needed to do two or three sets. But new research shows that one set, done with good form, can be just as effective for most people. Of course, if you have extra time and love being at the gym, you can always do more sets.
10. Breathe
Don’t forget to breathe while you’re lifting weights. When you’re pushing or pulling the weight (the hardest part), blow out your air. If you’re just starting out with weight lifting, it’s smart to chat with a trainer or someone at your doctor’s office. They can help you pick the right exercises and show you how to do them properly so you don’t get hurt.
