How can you not exercise with weights? 7 major mistakes that can cost you your health

Weight training has many pitfalls. You may not even be aware of them, but they will affect your results. If you do not want your efforts in the gym to be wasted, do not make common mistakes.

Andrei Streltsov

professional powerlifting coach, member of the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF)

There are seven mistakes, without eliminating which I would not recommend, and in some cases even forbid, to engage in strength training.

I highly recommend getting a physical examination or medical checkup before beginning weight training. Any implicit health issues can be a big hurdle both at the beginning of the class and after a few workouts. If your doctor discovers any hidden contraindications to exercise, ask your trainer. He or she will draw up a personal training schedule and an individual load plan. You may need rehabilitation exercises and LFC, which should be included in the warm-up, warm-down and sometimes in the main part of the training. By following the plan, you can avoid serious injuries and musculoskeletal disorders and thus progress in strength.

Improper exercise technique

When people weight train on their own, without a coach or mentor, there is a high probability of errors in exercise technique. Although controlling the biomechanics of the movements is very important. Observe your sensations during training: it is necessary that you do not feel ligament or joint discomfort when performing exercises at low weights. If this happens, it is necessary to find a comfortable starting position, in which there will be no discomfort.

It is also necessary to understand that human anthropometry is strictly individual and it is not possible to perform exercises “according to the textbook” for everyone. For example, there is a basic exercise – the classic squat with a barbell. According to the training literature, an Asian and a European (this is a division by anthropometry of the body) should not perform it in the same leg position. As a rule, an “Asian” is a person with a longer shin relative to the hip, and a “European” is a person with a longer hip relative to the shin. During a workout, the biomechanics of the exercise will be significantly different.

Training after drinking alcohol

It is categorically impossible to engage in strength training the morning after alcohol intoxication. This can lead to high loads on the cardiovascular system. Also before and during exercise, you should limit smoking and the use of any other tobacco products.

Lack of warm-up and warm-down

If most people remember the warm-up (although there are precedents), then things are worse with the warm-up. Never quit or end a workout at high weights. You need to come down smoothly and recover your heart rate. As for the warm-up: I recommend both a regular joint release and a light myofascial release.

Disrupted daily regimen

You shouldn’t go to the gym and pull heavy weights after a sleepless night or a week of lack of sleep. You also shouldn’t work out on an empty stomach or, conversely, with a full stomach. All this can lead to low efficiency in training and harmful strain on the body.

Exercise during illness

If you feel that you are getting sick, you should not go to the gym. Otherwise, you’ll put additional stress on your body, which is already fighting an infection. The immune system is weak, and training you will only aggravate the condition. Refrain from exercising should be with any, even the smallest manifestations of colds, acute respiratory viral infections and covitis. Also do not forget that after full recovery to return to the training process should be systematically. No intensive approaches from the first session: if you start to “gesture”, there is a high probability of getting sick again for an indefinite period of time with the same symptoms.

Heavy strength training after serious injuries

A fracture, torn ligament, torn muscle, severe contusion, hematoma or open lacerations are not the best indications for training. A full rehabilitation program, depending on the injury and its degree of complication, should be completed before beginning or resuming weight training.