Weight Training Safety

Forget what your Grandma told you. Truth is — there’s nothing inherently unsafe about weight machines or barbells. It’s what you do with these contraptions that can leave you with smashed toes, ripped hamstrings, and torn tendons. If you pay attention, use proper form, and don’t get too macho about how much weight you lift, you can go for years without even a minor injury. In fact, one of the best reasons to lift weights in the first place is to reduce your risk of injury in daily life by strengthening your muscles and bones.
Follow the safety tips in this chapter, and you’ll walk out of the weight room the same way you entered it: in one piece and under your own power. We said that weight training is safe and that you can go a lifetime without a minor injury, but with that said, you may feel occasional muscle soreness —especially if you’re new to the game or haven’t worked out in a while. A little bit of post-workout soreness is okay; chances are, you’ll feel tightness or achiness 24 to 48 hours after your workout, rather than right away. (This postponed period is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, for those of you who feel more comfortable when your pain has a name.) But there are ways to reduce your amount of discomfort so you can be a normal, functioning human being after your workout. The following guidelines can help you keep this soreness to a minimum.