Weight Training Without Injury
1. What
inspired you to write Weight Training
Without Injury?
The book was inspired by those who have needlessly
injured themselves while using weights. In addition, what constitutes
proper vs. improper form has been a topic of great debate, so we wished to
explicitly define this distinction through the use of full color, step-by-step
photos. Our mission is simple: to enable you to master proper form and prevent
injury when lifting weights.
2. Why
should people weight train?
There is no activity or sport that
is not enhanced by proper weight training. This means if you are not weight
training, you should be. In addition, the American College of Sports Medicine
recommends that all healthy adults weight train at least 2 days a week. It is
scientifically proven that weight training is essential for building muscle and
strength. In addition, weight training is essential for combating the loss of
muscle mass and bone that occurs with the aging process.
3. What
should be taken into consideration when choosing a tailored workout program?
When
structuring a workout program, you need to consider multiple factors, such as
age, level of current fitness, and injury history, for example. There is not a
one size fits all approach when structuring a program. Attempting to do so is
what leads to injury. Ideally, a workout schedule should incorporate cardio,
weight training, and flexibility training. Of course, the weight training
portion is where people get lazy (or scared). Learning how to weight train
properly is a necessary skill worth mastering for long-term health and
longevity.
4. What
would you consider an efficient workout?
Any
workout that gets people in better shape (whether it be toned, weight loss,
etc.) and is performed consistently is obviously efficient in accomplishing
something. However, what many people fail to realize is that working out and
getting in better shape doesn’t necessarily equate to not getting hurt. Therefore,
an efficient workout is one that can be performed regularly, consistently, and
be done safely without getting injured (and yet still produce results).
5. What
advice do you have for those who have been injured and want to ease their way
back into weight training?
First
and foremost, use very little to no weight. If you cannot do a move without
pain, by all means, don’t add more! Second, start simple. You should aim to
work all major muscle groups 1-2 days a week, but you don’t need 100 exercises
to accomplish this. Choose 1-2 exercises per muscle group, and add more exercises
with time. Third, if you hire a trainer, don’t assume he or she know
everything. What is beneficial for one client, can be catastrophic for another.
If something doesn’t feel right, please just say no! You know your body better
than anyone. Your #1 goal should be to learn proper weight training to improve
your overall health. This takes time. So be patient!
6. What
tips do you have for older adults looking to begin weight training?
As an older adult, your goal in weight training
should be to increase mobility and strength to maintain your independence. This
means you don’t need a bunch of heavy weights! Postural ailments plague many
adults and simply worsen with age. Back exercises (particularly the Reverse
Fly, which happens to be my personal favorite) is essential to fight the
slumping tendency. Lower-body exercises (such as squats) are essential to keep
you capable of getting in and out of a chair without help, for example. If you
don’t want to work out at a gym, doing exercises with just your body only will
help you in more ways than you can imagine.
7. How
many times a week should someone weight train?
Current recommendations are at least 2 days a
week (and this is in addition to 3-5 days of cardio exercise). Generally
speaking, you should work all major muscles groups twice a week using
resistance exercise. If you are more advanced, you can increase the frequency,
but starting with 2 days is a good place to start.
8. What
is the most common mistake people make when working out?
This is
a really tough question to answer. I dedicated nearly 300 pages, using over 350
photos, to show the “common” mistakes people make when working out. But just as
some example, here we go:
1.
Squats:
Leaning too far forward (which can hurt the back), placing the feet too close
together (which can hurt the knees), going to deep (which can hurt the knees),
tilting the head back (which can hurt the neck).
2.
Lat Pull
Down: Pulling the weight from behind the head (which can injure the rotator
cuff)
3.
Push-ups:
Allowing the back to arch (which can cause low back pain)
4.
Biceps
Curls: Swinging the body (which can injure the low back)
5.
Bench
Presses: Arching the back (which can hurt the low back) and flaring the elbows (which
can hurt the shoulders).
9. What
general weight training tips can you offer to everyone?
Master
the basics first. Start simple. Avoid high-level fitness class (such as cross
fit), particularly if you are a beginner. Research shows that approximately 75%
of those who partake in crossfit get hurt. So do yourself a favor, don’t go
nuts. Yes, this may be boring (and not as exciting), but your body will thank
you for it.
10. What
sparked your passion for fitness?
While in
high school, I was plagued with postural challenges and knee problems. My
doctor suggested I weight train. I knew nothing about this (and was in terrible
condition), and that’s when I met Fred, who was retired from a 50+ career in
fitness and was personal training part time. Fred had owned and operated gyms
for nearly 20 years and had trained 1000s of bodies (from the elite athlete to
the morbidly obese to the elderly adult). He had an enviable gift, and he was
greatly respected by all those who knew him. He forever changed my life, and my
passion for fitness just continued to blossom after I met him. My relationship
with Fred evolved to me becoming his protégé, which is what led to us to writing
Weight
Training Without Injury.
11. What
should you absolutely not do when working out?
Never pull any weight behind your head (which
is commonly done during Lat Pull Downs and Shoulder Presses). Never torque your
head back (which is commonly done during all types of exercises, such as rows,
squats, leg curl exercises, etc.). Avoid deep squats – very few people can
actually do these properly, and the potential benefits aren’t worth the risks
(which includes injury to the low back, hip, and knee). Never do sit-ups. Never
add more weight to any exercise if you aren’t comfortable doing it with light
weight. Never assume that just because person X is doing some exercise (and
appears to be in incredible shape) that you should be doing it too!
12. Why
are so many people getting injured when they work out?
The science is irrefutable that exercise is
medicine. People know they should be exercising now more than ever. More people
working out equates to more injuries. In addition, people tend to want “quick”
fixes / results. In an effort to do so, people are joining more fitness
classes, which can be overcrowded with no instructor capable of selecting
appropriate exercises for everyone. This leads to injury. Also, many people
tend to only incorporate cardio exercise in the workout schedule. Failure to
weight train can also lead to injury since poor biomechanics (which is often
linked to impaired strength) are widespread among cardio enthusiasts. For
example, it is scientifically proven that approximately 90% of all runners get
hurt. And the most common site is the knee.
13. What
fitness trends are you noticing?
Extreme
levels of fitness seem to becoming the norm at most gyms these days. For
example, boot camps and cross fit classes are jammed packed. However, for most
people, they aren’t in the shape to be in these high-level classes. People are
quick to judge a workout by how much they sweat and how many calories they
burn. Yes, this is great for weight loss, but doing high-level fitness without
being concerned about getting hurt is a big problem. People do get hurt, and
often they have irreversible damage. This is very unfortunate.
Also,
everyone these days tends to be a personal trainer (or have a trainer). Getting
certified is now more easy than ever. However, a vast number of trainers do not
have the education or understanding of proper vs. improper exercise. This is
very unfortunate, as this is why clients get hurt. My own mother was one of
these people – she now has a permanently bad shoulder because of a personal
trainer’s lack of knowledge on shoulder biomechanics.
14. When
should weight training be introduced to our youth?
According to the American College of Sports
Medicine, children should start weight training as soon as they are capable of
following instructions. However, in these younger populations, exercises should
focus on using very light weights (or even just body weight) so children can
learn proper mechanics. Basically, if a child is capable of participating in a
sport, he or she should be ready to start weight training.
Injuries in sports are very common, so starting
proper weight training early on can improve all over body strength and help
prevent such events. There is no activity or sport that is not enhanced by
proper weight training. Period.
15. What
is the one body part that men or women always ask for your help on and what do
you tell them?
The
core. Everyone these days wants a stronger core! It’s like the buzz word in the
fitness injury. What I tell them is the core is composed of 20+ muscles, and
the largest core muscle is actually the buttocks (or glute max). If you have
weak glutes, this is setting you up for endless problems (low back pain, knee
pain, hip pain, and more). Therefore, if you want a stronger core, you must
train your glutes! The best exercise for the glutes that can be done ANYWHERE
is the squat. Therefore, if there was only one exercise I could do for the rest
of my life, it would be the squat. Many people will tell me they can’t squat.
Well, let me tell you, that’s typically not true – if they are getting in and
out of a chair, they can. Learning how to squat properly, however, is what
people really need to master. Changing one’s feet, how deep they go, using a
chair or object for balance, etc., are all ways of fixing bad squatting form.
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