Before imagining yourself easily lifting 50 kg dumbbells every week, once you have validated your gym membership, it is important to adopt certain habits immediately. When lifting weights, injuries are often due to impatience with lifting heavy loads, or to poorly controlled posture and movements. Feed. gives you advice on what to do to set up your routine and get your bodybuilding program off to a good start.
A warm-up is essential.
Lifting weights correctly means using proper posture and movements, maximizing repetitions, doing exercises slowly and intelligently to avoid accidents. It is therefore important to prepare your body well.
In your routine, warming up is essential before lifting weights.
This will activate the circulation of oxygen in the blood, relax your muscles, warm them up and prepare them for lifting heavy weights.
- To start, you can do a few sets of classic push-ups and sit-ups. Also intersperse these sets with a short rest, then increase the number of repetitions on the following sets. Do two to three sets of each.
- To finish your warm-up, stretch properly, especially your arms. This will allow you to relax your muscles and get your body in shape before starting your exercise.
Start gently.
First of all, when you are at the gym, be supported in your beginnings. It is important that your movements are controlled to lift weights in the best conditions. An indoor coach will be able to show you the right movements and correct your exercises if necessary.
Then, when you begin your weight training session, don't be afraid to start with a small mass. Be sure not to encounter any difficulty during your first exercises. You increase the load little by little between each series until you find the ideal weight that will suit you to perform several repetitions and improve.
=> Effective exercise does not necessarily mean lifting the heaviest weight possible, but rather knowing how to maximize repetitions. To build muscle, it's best to lift less weight, more often.
Increase the number of repetitions.
It's best to go gradually. For example, you can prepare your session on the principle of pyramid series . This exercise consists of gradually increasing the number of repetitions performed per series or the total number of series:
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Start with a set of ten before resting. Then do a series of 15, rest again then 20 before going back down the pyramid.
Depending on your progress and ease of performing the exercises, you can then increase the weight over the weeks.
Recovery.
Don't neglect the recovery phase. You can favor a recovery phase with other exercises that you like to practice or repeat the same series as during your warm-up. Stretch again, but slowly, to reduce the likelihood of soreness and injury.
To remember
- Ask a coach for advice on adopting appropriate movements and good posture.
- Don't neglect your warm-up.
- Start with a load that is easy to lift.
- Maximize repetitions. It's better to lift less weight, more often.
- Don't lift too heavy weights. You risk injury and your training will be counterproductive.
- Always practice with a spotter. Never lift weights alone. Make sure you always have someone around who can keep an eye on you and lend a hand if needed.
