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The golden rules
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Weight training is good provided certain dos and don'ts are followed
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BEWARE Breathing incorrectly while doing weights can cause blackout PHOTO: K. Pichumani
Weight training can be intimidating for a beginner: weights need to be lifted according to anatomical and physiological principles or they do more harm than good. Getting it right takes a few weeks. And then, there are the doubts that trainers simply fob off with vague answers. Here are some of them:
Is weight training safe with a background of chronic illnesses? Everyone, even if you are a 20-something jock, needs a doctor's okay before taking up weight training.
But most people with chronic but stable illnesses including osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and HIV/AIDS can benefit significantly from weight training.
What is the right way to breathe while lifting weights? The simple rule is to exhale during the most strenuous part of the movement. Breathing incorrectly can cause blackouts and hernias.
Can I use homemade weights? Not unless you are a welder who can make replicas of regular weights. Buckets, jugs and water bottles do not allow exercise with full range of motion. They might break off or slip and the resulting injuries can be serious.
Why does weight training cause weight loss? Unless you eat more compared with your sedentary days, exercise will cause weight loss. It is a simple matter of calorie output being more than calorie input. You also look disproportionately thinner because body composition changes with exercise. Muscle builds up and fat content decreases, and muscle is denser compared to fat, which is why you look thinner.
My joints creak during exercise. Should I continue to lift weights? The knee joint is the most likely joint to creak with age. Discuss it with your orthopaedician. Meanwhile, exercise with smaller weights and a reduced range of movement. You can continue exercising as long as there's no pain. Exercise causes pain. What should I do? RICE. Rest, apply Ice on it, use a Compression bandage if there is a swelling, and Elevate the injured part. Don't exercise if there's pain. It will prolong recovery time or even damage the part permanently.
RAJIV M
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