Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Building Muscle Mass - Weight Lifting Techniques

By Wakelin Smith

Weight lifting is a power training activity which many people participate in for the purpose of building, strengthening and increasing muscle mass and also for the purpose of losing weight. Before attempting to lift weights, here are some helpful tips that can help you to achieve weight lifting success.

Lifting the appropriate weight is one of the most essential things you should do when weight lifting. You should make sure that the weight you lift is comfortable when you do it at least 15 times. Doing a basic set of 15 repetitions at the correct weight amount will help you quickly build up your strength. The surefire way to hurt yourself is by trying to lift the wrong amount of weight.

Secondly, you should engage in warm-ups. People tend to overlook warm-ups because they do not realize that it is important before any sporting or aerobic activity. Before attempting to lift weights you should take a few minutes to stretch and perform some aerobic activities. Stretching helps to increase flexibility and reduces the risk of injuries. Additionally, you should choose weight lifting techniques that will work all the major muscle groups such as the legs, arms, shoulders, chests and abdomen.

Proper form is essential when practicing the correct weight lifting methods. The amount of weights that you use when performing weight lifting techniques should not be to light nor should it be too heavy.

Weights that are too light will not provide sufficient stimulation for muscle building and weights that are too heavy can cause muscle injury. Ensure that you are able to lift your weights at least fifteen times before feeling your muscles getting tired. Learning how to keep the proper form is necessary before you attempt to start lifting.

Rest is a part of the sport. Practicing at the correct weight with good technique and proper form requires that you give your body a chance to rest. Weight lifting is vigorous, and you don't want to overwork muscles by doing the same thing every day. It is essential that you give your muscles a chance to rest. Vary your routine and work on different muscles for the best result.

Slow down. Learning to use weight lifting methods can be exciting. It is important to remember, however, that rushing only results in poor form and possible injury. When doing repetitions, it is important to take it slow, isolate the muscles and work with your body and not against it.

In order to achieve the maximum benefit of your weight lifting techniques, you must remain focused and consistent in your workouts and do not expect to see over night results. Following these simple easy steps can help prevent a large amount of injuries such as nerve damages, sprains, fractures, dislocations and others. - 15995

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