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Weight Lifting Program

A Weight Lifting Program that’s right for you

Why do I need a weight lifting program?

Weight lifting is a strenuous exercise requiring muscle strength and stamina. Training ad-hoc may improve only some of your muscles, leaving others weak and vulnerable to injury. Getting a good weight training program can help you improve muscle tone and fitness in an ordered, predictable and safe way.

How far can I take it?

A good weight lifting program can prepare you for a professional weight lifting competition, even the Olympics. Olympic weight lifting Competition involves three basic moves:

The Power Clean – The weights are lifted to the shoulders and the lifter stands up

The Jerk – The weights are lifted to the shoulders and then above the head

The Snatch – The weights are lifted cleanly from the ground to above the head.

How can I get stronger?

Muscles get stronger when they regularly operate above their normal load. To effectively perform a Power Clean or Jerk one needs considerable strength, especially when several types of weight lifting activities are done in a row. Muscle stamina is also important in a weight lifting program and this is usually trained by increasing the number of repetitions and possibly decreasing the weight to allow more reps per minute.

Should I use free weights or weight machines?

A custom weight lifting program is designed to give you the maximum impact using all the tools that are available to you. You can use both free weights and weight machines, though your weight lifting program instructor will guide you to the most effective use of each machine or weight. Over the course of your weight training your muscle profile will change and your weight lifting instructor will modify your exercise routine to continually get maximum impact from every tool available to you.

What do I need to start a weight lifting program?

You will need a weight belt whether you use free weights or weight machines. A weight belt or lumbar belt protects your back muscles from injury. Back muscle injuries are notoriously hard to recover from so be sure you wear your belt at all times during training. It is a misconception that lumbar belts improve strength and lifting power; their function is to support the back and spine.

Gloves are also very important in a weight lifting program. They not only to harness the muscles in your hands but stop you dropping a weight or letting a machine handle slip.

Things to keep in mind before starting a weight lifting program

Before starting out on a weight lifting program you should pay your doctor and trainer a visit. Make sure to tell them about any injuries you may have had in the past. If you experience severe pain when doing any kind of activity you should check with an orthopedist to make sure your skeleton is not injured. Do not ever start weight lifting when you are in pain and always get the right equipment before starting.

Rehabilitating injured muscles

Your weight lifting program may be designed to get an injured muscle back into shape. This usually involves lowering the weights and increasing the repetitions, building muscle stamina before you rebuild muscle strength. Your doctor will do spot checks on you to make sure your body is reacting normally to the rehabilitation and that there are no secondary injuries or complications from being on a weight lifting program.