Learning to lift weights is not as complicated as you think
Whether it’s for aesthetics, health, or fun, people walk into gyms for many different reasons. With well-researched benefits and a relatively low risk of injury, around 4.5% of men and 0.6% of women consider the gym as one of the top places to go for working out. But how safe is the gym, actually?
Consistent weight training has many well-known benefits: it increases bone density, conditions the cardiovascular system, promotes better hormonnal balance and sleep, and boosts mental health. However, these benefits are only reaped when training is well-planned and individualized to a certain degree. And one can only find such plans with a certain amount of basic knowledge.
The risks, though, are always present, even as they decrease as one’s experience increases. It is during the novice phase that the chance of giving up is the highest, since people tend to feel lost and ultimately discouraged after seeing little to no result. Knowing proper lifting form and the basic principles of training is critical for setting up a successful and enjoyable fitness journey while preventing injuries. In the weight room, most injuries are due to small wear and tears that accumulate over time, not traumatic events. Hence, optimizing movement patterns is the best way to prevent and heal injuries that happen in the weight room.
Coach Daniel Wirt from the Renaissance Periodization, a diet and training consultation company, explains that if one wants to lose fat and build a little bit of muscle, “there is almost no barrier for entry in the knowledge you need. The only thing you NEED to know to lose weight, is energy out needs to be greater than energy in.” However, he continues, “[i]f your goal is to be Mr. Olympia, that answer changes… If that is your goal, you will need to have greater knowledge than the average person. Unless for some reason your genetics are so godly that every step you take grows your calves.”
In short, people don’t have to memorize textbooks in order to start weight training, but a basic foundation of knowledge needs to exist. The basic knowledge can carry them on in the right direction even when things are hard, as coach Wirt puts it: “the basics are almost always the way to go, even if they don’t seem as “sexy” as the diet fads.”
Considering the fact that no one is born with the a knowledge of weight training, it is important to have some professional support, especially at the beginning of one’s fitness journey. Professional knowledge can be attained through various media—books, videos, programs, and podcasts. But at the end of the day, hiring a certified coach is the easiest way to obtain essential knowledge without being overwhelmed by the amount of information out there. Coaches also save time that one might spend on finding reliable sources and deciding whether or not he or she should try new internet trends (which usually don’t work).
Most importantly, hands-on coaching helps athletes avoid common mistakes that can lead to injuries while lifting weights. In a high school setting, coaches can teach adolescents who are potentially interested in resistance training the right way to train. Students are less likely to be overwhelmed under professional guidance, which can lead to a growth in interest for the field.
Feature Image — Strength training isn’t only for guys.
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Wirt, Daniel. Email Interview, October 6, 2021.