Strength training especially weightlifting comes with its distinct pros. It helps build muscles and improve bone strength like no other form of exercise. You can try running for hours or practice yoga regularly but you won’t be able to achieve a rock-solid body. In order to add strength and definition to your muscles, you have to lift or push heavy objects and engage in some resistance exercises.
Steering away from lifting exercises will not help your glutes, hams, biceps and other muscle groups in your body to strengthen and grow, causing them to shrivel overtime. Without proper lifting exercises, your bones become susceptible to fractures and injuries. If you are lifting with a good form such that you hit your sweet pot, there is quite some bliss with your exercise regime. However, if you are overdoing the workout without listening to what your body is saying to you, then you can get some serious health issues.
How Dangerous Is Weight Lifting?
Weightlifting as compared to other forms of exercises seems more like a death wish than a discipline meant to add mass to your chassis. Surf around a bit and you’ll be surprised to see what havoc weightlifting-gone-wrong can play with your body. Many people are of the view that benefits tied with lifting heavy metal plates are far less than the gruesome risks they pose.
In reality, studies show that it is one of the safest workout, if done properly. And this is the simple philosophy behind the rocket science of lifting.
Weightlifting with an improper approach is like dealing with fire.
Let’s dig deeper into facts backed by science about weightlifting.
What Does Research Have To Say About Weightlifting?
If you are an athlete “you are always in between injuries.” In fact, athletes’ glory comes with pain, for most sportsmen injuries are their medals that they don with pride. Though it may sound a bit of generalization, this is pretty much the truth for all sports. However, the intensity of injuries varies from sport to sport.
Multiple researches indicate that weightlifting is the safest “sport” one can engage into.”
Another study shows that you are 6 to 10 times more susceptible to get injured in other sports as compared to weightlifting. The study conducted on 2000 athletes showed that during 1000 hours of weightlifting there was just one injury. Intense forms of weightlifting such as Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting and CrossFit increased injury rate, however, not drastically. There were 2 to 4 injuries during intense weightlifting workouts.
Sports like football, rugby and hockey have injury rates ranging between 6 to 260 in 1000 hours of training.
Benefits Of Weightlifting
Unlike the common perspective about weightlifting, its pros outweigh its cons. Following are some benefits that you can enjoy by incorporating weightlifting in your routine.
- Strong and healthy joints
- Muscle build up
- Improved heart and brain health
- Improved insulin levels
- Revved up metabolism
- Improved bone density and lower fracture risks
- Enhanced quality of life
- Improved flexibility
If you compare these benefits to low risk of injury, it becomes stark clear that what your choice should be.
It is far beneficial for you to you lift weights than to avoid them completely.
Avoiding Weightlifting Injuries
You can enrich your weightlifting experience by lowering the risk of injuries. Following points will help you stay safe from common weightlifting injuries and how you can benefit from the workout.
Let Your Body Recover
The number one cause for injury is not overtraining but in fact not allowing your body to recover fully from previous workout. So if your knees are a little sore from your recent workout, wait until that soreness fully goes away. If you carry on with your workouts, that soreness is going to turn into an agonizing pain compromising on your overall health.
Stop When Your Body Tells You Too
If you lifting a particular weight seems too much for you, stop immediately, especially if you experience pain. The rule to effective weightlifting is by beginning slowly and notching it up when your body is fully prepared to take more.
Form Is Important
When it comes to weightlifting, a good posture plays a very important role. Therefore, be mindful of your form when you lift weights as poor posture can cause many problems especially in your back.
End Note
Weightlifting isn’t as perilous as it is generally believed. In reality, it is much safer than playing soccer or running. That being said, you should always perform the sport with caution as you cannot completely rule out the risk of injury. Weightlifting injuries can be extremely painful and can deteriorate your overall health if you do not pay heed to safety measures.
