Weight Training and Injuries

Weight Training and Injuries

by Mike Tennison

A lot of people are starting to take up bodybuilding and fitness modeling. To attain the desired goals requires determination and consistent progress. As a result, however, a lot of people are suffering injuries.This article looks at preventing those injuries

Bodybuilding involves regular stimulation of the body's muscles to promote muscle increase in size. However, in order to get those steady gains and regular growth we also have to stimulate healthy adaptation of the body's tendons, ligaments and nerves.

Tendons and ligaments are very stiff and inelastic pieces of fibrous tissue that can easily be ruptured if extended beyond their structural and physiacl capabilities. Therefore, it is particulalry important that time is spent working on the ligaments and tendons to encourage them to adapt and strengthen.

The pre-workout stretching routine is an essential aspect of this programme. Many programs such as those found in the Truth About Abs Review advise on such a recommendation. This point must not be left out if you are to avoid injury. It needs about thirty seconds of good stretching to get an adequate stretch.

It is a particularly good plan to encourage the flow of blood to the muscles and ligaments with a pre-workout cardio session. This will properly prepare them for working out by significantly increasing the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the tendons and ligaments. These aerobic workouts will also aid in significantly stretching the ligaments and tendons.

Having the help of a training or spot partner or assistant on hand will help with the workout program and can also reduce the risk of injury This training partner, can help in lifting the weights when no more repetitions can be performed. This can help reduce the risk of over straining the muscles and assists in helping to prevent overstraining the muscles and tendons due to the weights pulling the muscles beyond the normal total range of movement.

There is a lot of debate as to whether a longer duration of time between each set of exercises to reduce injury. The main problem with this advice is that we do still need to stimulate the muscles and taking ninety to one hundred and twenty seconds between sets is often considered an optimal period of time. This duration of time helps also to keep you focused.

The post workout time is also a particulalry important area to look at in the prevention of injury. This is a crucial time to focus on a stretching routine as the muscles and tendons are now warmed up and more flexible and are able to benefit more from these stretching routines.

Post workout nutrition is also extremely important to supply the ligaments, tendons and muscles with optimal supplies of nutrients, including protein and glucose to efficiently repair all the significant damage to the muscles. During the process of repairing the muscle cells will often adapt by becoming larger and will therefore increase the muscle growth. The chances of injury can be reduced in the long term as the ligaments and tendons will also develop their flexibility and strength.

It is no great surprise more and more people are starting to take up bodybuilding and doing weight training as we are bombarded by pictures and films of fit healthy looking people. As many more people take up the sport then there is a rising incidence of injury. Keeping to advice in this article should assist you to reduce the risk of injury.

About the Author:

Mike writes articles about the Vince Delmonte program which you can read about in more detail in his new Vince Delmonte review which looks at body building and nutrition in more detail.