When You Strength Train Think About Safety First

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Many fitness beginners, intermediates or even advanced weight lifters don't consider safety first. Some good safety tips to keep in mind when strength-training are:


  1. Keep knees soft (slightly flexed or bent, not locked).
  2. Wear a weightlifting belt on waist and wrist straps for heavy lifting.
  3. Always use a spotter for heavy weights.
  4. Use a slow, pendulum-type motion when lifting rather than a fast up and down jerky motion. The latter can cause muscle tears.
  5. Make sure you have a friend or spotter assist you with forced repetitions.
  6. Wear heavy-duty training shoes for good support on your feet.

Stephanie Oakes is a fitness correspondent for Discovery Health Channel, a contributing editor for USA Weekend Magazine and the LA Times, and appears on NBC's 'Today in New York'. She can be reached at soakes@beststuff.com.