Training with weights: Do it right from the start

When I started out training with weights for my sport when I was 13, I had no clue about how to go about doing it. Unfortunately for me, my coach had no idea too. We hammered on with the notion that more is better, training 5 days a week, doing 10 sets on the bench press explosively since it was the most ‘relevant’ to our sport (I was a shot putter).

Fast forward 6 years, and I’ve come along with several injuries, most notably to my lower back and right knee, and left hamstring. Of all my 16 teammates of my age, only 1 came out without an injury.

Though these injuries aren’t life threatening, and neither are they permanent, they certainly caused myself some pain and some wasted time whereby I couldn’t train optimally for progress.

This isn’t uncommon. Given that people often think in Black and White, (link to Article) it has led to the false impression that weights training leads to injuries. Of course, this isn’t the case. The fact is that weights training with improper technique and a haphazard plan is the culprit. The fact is that crappy coaching is the problem [1]. And the fact is that there have been many people who have benefited greatly from a properly structured resistance training program.

The solution is to start with weights training with the proper mindset and plan right from the start. In this case, anyone of any age can benefit from resistance training.

SPA

Remember this simple acronym. Safe, Progression for all Ages.

Safety

Weights training technique is key. Too often do you see people bouncing the weights around and swinging their body to get the weights up in a barbell biceps curl.

Because this topic is too broad to cover here, I’m going to recommend a few resources that can be found in the notes [2]. If you’ve decided to make this happen, you will find the will to educate yourself on proper weight lifting technique. However, some notable points are:

• Joint Mobility and adequate flexibility
• Warmups before exercise (refer to note [3])
• Paying attention to your body, backing off when you think something’s not right. Workouts should be hard, not painful
• A proper training protocol with the perspective of long term sustainability, balance in training [3] and….

Progression

Again, the idea of weights training is to continuously push past previous records and establish new personal bests.

Age Considerations

Regardless of age, any reasonably healthy person can benefit from a resistance training program. In older folks, my intent is to maintain regular function; the ability to walk up stairs, get off the bus, and play with your grandchildren. This is done through various pathways discussed in my previous article on the need for resistance training.

However, there are extra considerations that have to be taken into account. For one, joints and connective tissue are generally weaker as compared to the younger guys, and if injured, they take a longer time to heal. Other than that, the probability of underlying medical conditions is greater in older people.

These all potential impact the ability of the individual to follow a resistance program. My best advice, is to get a proper medical checkup to determine if you are able to perform a resistance training program. Take caution with the advice of doctors though, since many are adverse to recommending such programs (how often do you see a fit doctor?). From my observation, people who ease into a weights program usually find out in the first month whether or not they have the capacity to do resistance training. Very often, only the very frail and sick cannot achieve this. See this site for an example: seniorfitness.net

Remember to really pay attention to your body and start very lightly. If you think you can do 10 repetitions, stop at 7 or 8. There is always time to slowly increase the weights/reps, and you’d be amazed at how many benefits one can get from a simple sub-maximal (below what you could do if you pushed yourself as far as you could go) routine can do.

All underlying conditions aside, anyone of any age should train according to the same principles. Older lifters simple have to watch the safety component a little closer. That doesn’t mean that you young guys out there can skimp on form; only when you’re injured 6 years later will you regret it, as I did.

Final Words

With that, if you’re someone who fears the weights room, I hope that you give weights training a consideration. If you’re someone who has decided to make the commitment, educate yourself one proper weight training technique and programming to ensure long-term success.

Rock on.

—
Notes:

[1] Bear this in mind, and never get into a situation whereby you are “forced” to do as your coach says. I thought that way, and I paid with my injuries.

Of course, my coach and school didn’t get the blame; we only developed our injuries 6 years after beginning our training when we were already out of school.

[2] By far the most comprehensive book on weights training technique would be Stuart McRobert’s Build Muscle, Lose Fat, Look Great Naked, which contains the revised section from the Insider’s Tell-all Guide to Weight Training.

Starting Strength by Mark Rippletoe is also an excellent resource for those who believe in a simple approach. It covers technique and progressions for 5 different compound exercises.

Other than that, many web resources are available. Notable programs for starting out are:

- 5×5
- Weightrainer Beginner Program
- My own minimalist program
- Or if you’re ambitious, create your own routine

And some notable articles:

- For specific advice on squat technique: http://jva.ontariostrongman.ca/BadGood.htm
- http://squatrx.blogspot.com/ for the blog and the Squat Rx series on Youtube
- http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/articles/ for corrective lifting
- http://ericcressey.com/ for general fitness and corrective exercises
- Smart from the Start by Eric Cressey
- Single Leg Supplements
- Get Your Butt in Gear Part 1 and Part 2
- Lats: Not Just for Pulldowns
Finally, don’t forget the warmup: Part 1 and Part 2

This is a non-exhaustive list, and I’m sure that if you’re interested, you will be reading more on your own accord.

[3] When I talk about a balanced program, I mean a program that will ensure adequate development in all parts of the body.

The most common problem with testosterone-fueled-attention-seeking-narrow-minded adolescent males will likely be the lack of emphasis on posterior chain strength (the muscles on the rear surface of the body – back, glutes, hamstrings, etc), with a large focus on the “beach muscles”; those associated with an impressive physique (biceps, chest, etc).

Realise that the body works in integration. For example, the shoulder joint is a ball-in-socket-joint, and has many different muscles pulling on it. A program which focuses solely on the muscles on the front of the joint (bench pressing) and neglects the muscles pulling on the back of the joint (rows), is going to cause some imbalances that will eventually lead to problems.

Related posts:

1. A Basic Weights Room Routine This is a related post to my original post on...
2. Bodyweight Strength Training: 6 Reasons That It’s NOT The Path to Your Goals I make it very clear that I’m a big proponent...
3. The Right Beginner Training Mindset As a beginning trainee, regardless of your age, goals and...

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