Five Rules For Working Out In The Gym

by Mike Stason

Listen, if you want to get big, you have to train big.

It won't help if you enter the gym and just go through your motions without any sweat at all. You will have to overload your muscles to stimulate muscle growth.

Muscles grow due to a natural adaptive survival response, and if you don't give them a damn good reason to grow, they won't.

People doing serious training are always at a higher risk of injury. But there are several simple steps that when performed carefully will reduce your risk of injury.

An injury will stop you in your tracks when doing serious muscle training.

Below I will outline my 5 golden rules when it comes to minimizing the risk of injury. If you can honestly say that you implement all 5 of these into your training program, then your risk of getting hurt will be much lower than someone who does not.

1) Proper warmup

Warmup when performed correctly can substantially reduce your risk of getting hurt. It is just a twenty minute process that will prepare your body for what is about to come. The main effect of a warmup is to increase the blood flow. Do 5 minutes cardiovascular exercise before each workout and then 4-5 warmup sets.

2) Training with proper form

I almost didn't mention it because it might seem obvious. Each single exercise must be carriedd out using the proper techniques for keeping stress off your joints. Don't start deadlifting with a rounded back. Don't jerk around weights in some ballistic manner. You will hurt yourself sooner or later.

3) Know your own limits

Weightlifting is always some kind of battle. Don't let your ego take over here or your are bound for desaster. Don't mind the guy next to you. This is not a contest between you and him. The only thing that matters is your personal training program. Stick to it and always consider your own limits. Don't try to impress people around you. It won't help your muscle to grow.

4) Always know when to quit

Stop when you have reached the point that you cannot complete another rep in its proper form. Put the weight down and rest up for your next set. Don't start to squeeze out an extra bit with jerky sounds. If your muscles tell you to stop then take a break.

5) Don't ignore aches

Never ignore pain or signes of injuries. Don't try to 'work thorugh' and ignore what your own body is telling you. It is your own body you want to train and you better listen to what it tells you. If you stress your body pain won't just disappear but get worse.

If you have the impression that there is something wrong go see a doctor before it gets worse - even when under normal conditions you would have just waited. This is becasue  intense training will amplify any small issue there is.

There is much more to be said about growing muscles and working out in the gym. Proper warmup, the right amount of exercise, the right food I could go on forever.

If you really want to improve your success buidling muscles you can learn even more details about keeping your joints and connective tissues healthy for years to come. See which I recommend at:  My Secrets To Gaining Muscles

Article kindly provided by Über Articles.

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