‘FAQs of Weight Lifting’
When learning to train with weights, there are a few important questions that you should ask before you attempt to lift the weights. Find the answers here.
What size weights do I need?
When choosing a weight to carry out a movement with, select a weight that you are confident that you will be able to complete the set with, with about two reps in reserve. The weight shouldn’t feel too heavy, but should feel challenging towards the end of your set.
Is lifting weights bad for my joints?
The short answer is: No.
Strength training has a positive effect on the four structural components of all articulating joints; bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons. However, if you have a pre-existing injury or condition, then loading a joint may slow down the healing process, so get the joint working well with your bodyweight first, the when it’s fully healed begin to introduce light weight training.
When do I breathe?
For the vast majority of movements, people naturally tend to exhale during the exertion phase, aka the hard bit. For example, when performing a press up, you’d inhale as you bend your arms to lower yourself to the floor, and exhale as you push back up to straighten your arms.
Will weight training give me more muscle definition?
Individual results will depend on the frequency and intensity of strength training workouts, but the short answer is yes. As long as your diet is sensible and contains enough protein, the amount of muscle definition you have will correspond with the frequency and intensity of your training.
As a woman, will I get bulky if I lift weights?
Women don’t easily increase their muscle size because we don’t have the same muscle building hormone levels that men do, particularly of testosterone. Also our skeletons are smaller than males so therefore less space for muscle attachment.
Should I bend my knees past 90 degrees?
Our knees bend naturally past 90 degrees and sitting in a squat position is a common position for many people around the world to take up without a second thought. If this is something you’re not used to doing however, condition yourself to do this without any weights before adding load. Tight muscles are often blamed for lack of range of movement in the squat, this can be the case but more often than not its due to the lack of strength in the posterior chain muscles.