How to use weights without injuring your legs
Whether you’re in a rush and want to do a quick workout, or whether you’re in the gym for the first time, don’t rush your workout! Every responsible gym goer approaches his or her workout with careful consideration and there is no instant solution: it takes hard work.
Since one’s legs are a vital part of our physiological composition and a leg injury can make life hard in general, it is important to perform a certain ritual and not just dive into the deep end.
It is import to do warm up sets before you start your workout. If you start off with heavy weights you are at risk of injuring yourself. Try to lift lighter weights first. It might be time – consuming but is worth avoiding a trip to the ER. After doing this you can slowly move on to 180kg weights. Do not squat without having done warm-up leg extensions. This should, in fact, be done prior to any workout. Once you have done this, feel free to pursue your dreams of looking like Conor McGregor! It might be easy to fall into the trap of locking your legs when performing squats or seated leg presses. This can cause damage since all the weight then rests on the knee joint which can also lead to injury. Rather try to transfer the tension to the muscle, this will not only ensure safety but will, contrary to putting undue pressure on the joint, build the muscle – which is what your aim is.
Next up is keeping form in mind when performing a squat routine. As strange a sight as it may be, try to stick out your behind and arch your back when you descend. Ensure that you’re not using your entire foot nor just your toes but rather your heel. Try squatting without any shoes on could also be helpful. Just be careful of dropping the weight on your foot – I think every gym-goer knows what that feels like. Wearing the right shoes that force your body forward might help as well. Feeling motivated is important but try not to get too excited too soon. It is more important to complete an exercise than to stop in the middle due to having attempted to work with too heavy weights. Don’t cheat! It’s wrong! Too many people step into the smith-machine attempting to squat with too heavy weights and not descend far enough to be parallel. Once again you are headed for weeks of agony and most likely no gym at all. Remember the point is to stimulate the muscle, not to put your joints through a grinder.
Running is a common form of exercise, but it might not be the best when considering your legs even if only on the treadmill. Especially if you have an existing knee injury you might want to avoid running. A stationary bike might be a better option. If you’re using an elliptical trainer consider lowering the incline to lessen stress on your knee.
If you follow the tips listed above, you should be able to still train legs intensely. If you don’t suffer from knee pain, these tips should help you prevent any future problems. If you have an existing knee injury, these tips can help alleviate the pain and allow you to continue training, after all: no one wants a muscular body the size of a bulldozer and legs looking like toothpicks, it gives the impression that you’re going to snap in two around your waist.