Form is Everything

 When it comes to weight lifting, knowledge and motivation are the key components which essentially separates the winners from the losers. There are three basic rules to keep in mind when weight training, and ultimately the goals are endless. Firstly, start each exercise with a warm up set. Injury is quite common in the gym and not just by the rookies but even by the more advanced lifters. Put the pride away for 10 minutes and start off with low weights high reps. This increases the heart rate, allows joints to move more efficiently and reduces lactic acid. Now whether you need hard core metal music blasting or the sounds of the weights crashing together, it's time to get serious and what better way to start than an effective warm up. Secondly, Form before weight. This essentially means don't load up the weights if your unsure on how to preform a particular exercise. Make sure you know what weights your comfortable at. The only way to find out is to start off with none and work your way up. Proper form really consists of no unnatural back, neck, leg, arm and chest movements. Your back should always be straight for dead lifts, you don't want to lean too far ahead during squats and bench press you don't want to bounce the weights off your chest. Don't be afraid to ask trainers for assistance. Personally, I make sure I go to the gym with a buddy, to critique my form and to spot me on heavy exercises. Thirdly, proper nutrition is essential for weight gains and building muscle. Depending on what results your going for, has relations to which types of foods you'll want to consume. Protein shakes are a must have, especially for students who are unable to get the proper nutrition living in such hectic lifestyles. For weight gaining and muscle building, I like to stick with high protein high starch foods, Chicken, eggs, potatoes , rice and pasta. Water is also extremely important, drinking water with each meal and all throughout the day. Weight training is a lifestyle, and in order to gain results, one must have the drive, devotion and motivation to train at least 4-5 times a week. Altering muscle groups each day is important, because muscles need time to recover, so at least 2 day rest before working that muscle once again. Remember beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so don't get into weight lifting for the wrong reasons. Weight lifting isn't for everyone, but we have the opportunity to live a healthy lifestyle and that being said for those who do want to increase in size, thats who this blog aims towards.