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IN SHAPE
7 tips for safer strength training

By Margo Rose

I have been a fitness trainer for over 10 years, specializing in injury reduction. The picture below of my back was taken at age 45 and these days I am feeling more fit than ever. When you are exercising, it is vital to learn how to work out safely so that you can enjoy excellent health for as long as possible.

Strength training is a magical fitness tool. We can create physical power and resculpt our bodies into a more athletic form. But using weights is also one of the most common sources of injuries (especially to the shoulders, back and neck) that we hear about in fitness.

It is important to understand that resistance training can exaggerate ALL your results. If you are using proper form and work out carefully, your progress may be more dramatic. If you are making mistakes in how you move, which weights you choose and how you balance the various parts of your workout, your injuries will likely be more severe.

Here are seven ways to safely develop the body you want:

1) Be aware of your emotional state
If you are in an angry or irritated mood, you may have plenty of energy and the desire for an intense workout, but you need to stay extra-focused on being careful with your form. Do your exercises more slowly than usual. During times of sadness, grief or low energy (like returning to fitness after an illness or break), remember to reduce the amount of weight you are using.

For more practical information about how to take care of your body during times that are stressful, depressing or frustrating, check out my website below.

2) Be "joint gentle"
Your muscles can only move as much weight as your joints can safely handle. There is no point in having such hard exercise sessions that your joints become injured. Do not hyperextend or snap your joints into a locked position.

3) Add static moves
When you are at an angle that takes a lot of effort to maintain, STOP moving, and hold that position for 4-6 deep, slow breaths. This can add excellent results to your overall strength gains and body sculpting. Holds also work great during pushups and pull-ups. Go halfway into a pull-up or pushup and hold that position for as long as you can. Remember to breathe deeply.

4) Protect your back
Most activities can be done more safely by activating abdominal muscles. Bring your belly button closer to your spine while keeping your shoulders relaxed. When you are doing an activity that requires a lot of strength, exhale deeply to engage your abdominal muscles. This is true of other daily activities like lifting heavy groceries, children, boxes, etc.

5) Include flexibility moves
Add stretching, yoga or martial arts to improve agility and help the muscle gains you have made with weights become more functional for other sports and activities.

6) Strengthen your back
People tend to overtrain their chests compared to their backs. This contributes to poor posture where a person looks pulled forward. My clients and I do a lot of bent-over and seated rows to make sure the midback is very strong.

7) Redefine "failure"
In strength training the biggest gains in size and power are achieved by working a muscle group to "failure." What if the last few reps of a set are the ones that cause a potentially long-term injury? Success means stopping at the last rep you can do with proper form and control of your weights.

I hope these simple suggestions are helpful to you. With a bit of caution, your ideal health and physique can last a lifetime.

Margo Rose welcomes your questions and comments on her website www.BodyAwareGrieving.com, A Fitness Trainer's Guide to Staying Healthy During Times of Loss, Stress or Change.