Plus, the fixes you better right the wrongs.
Dont worry, well clue you in on common strength mistakes and what you could do to fix em.
But before we do, allow us to remind you justhow important lifting things upand putting them down is.
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M.S., P.T., D.P.T.of JAG Physical Therapy in Bridgewater, New Jersey.
It also supports bone and joint health and boosts metabolism, which helps with weight management and fat loss.
Ahead, a look at how thoseand three other mistakeshinder strength gains and put you at risk for injury.
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Essentially foreplay for your workout, aproper warmupprepares your body for the training session to come.
This, as you might guess, greatly increases the risk of injury and muscle strains, he says.
Lucky enough to dodge injury despite not warming up thus far?
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Dont ride away on your high horse just yet.
In addition to reducing injury risk, warming up helps support athletic performance, according to Luciani.
The good news: A proper, performance-improving warmup can take as little as 10 minutes.
You want to start witha general warmupthat gets your blood pumping and your entire body moving, says Luciani.
Finally, do the specific exercise you have on the docket with lighter weights before hitting it heavy.
To stimulate adaptation, you must challenge your muscles sufficiently, she explains.
Lifting weight that is too light does theoppositeof that.
It limits muscle growth potential, hinders strength gains, and ultimately makes for inefficient workouts, says Gallucci.
The targetrep rangeto boost muscle strength and endurance is six to eight reps. (This is known as fatigue training to muscle fatigue).
Use yourperceived effortto gauge how heavy weights feel to you, suggests Luciani.
If you are under a 5, you are leaving gains on the table, she says.
Repping your way through six to eight squats takes longer than standing up just one.
Dont read it wrong: Thereisa time and place for lifting heavy.
Strength sports athletes, for example, need to know what their one rep maxes are, says Luciani.
However, there are many times when heavy lifting is doing more time than good.
The Fix:The solutionisntto forgo heavy weights completely but rather to lift them safely.
But that is complete and utter nonsense.
Regardless of gender or sex,everyoneshould aim to strengthen the muscles throughout their body, according to Howe.
Meanwhile, incorporating strength-based exercises that target muscle groupsthroughoutthe body helps support balanced muscle development, says Gallucci.
Incorporating core movements like planks and rotations is also vital for stability and injury prevention, he adds.
But overall, you want to look forward to your training program, she says.
If you fall into this camp, she suggests hiring a professional or looking into small-group training.
If you have experience lifting weights, spend some time noodling on what you like and dont like.
If you enjoy the mental focus required by high-skill movements, you might enjoy Olympic lifting.
If you crave variety, tryCrossFit.
If you love loading up a barbell, join a Powerlifting team.
The Fix:Take five minutes after your last rep to give your body whatever it is craving.
Fix It:Aim to consume aprotein-rich mealreplete with other essential nutrients following your strength session, says Gallucci.
