Weightlifting at Home

Sometimes it’s impossible to hit the gym regularly, and many people choose to work out at home. This can be an effective method to ensure you’re sticking to a good workout regimen, but it’s not without risk. Unless you have a good grasp of proper body form, you should begin weightlifting in a gym with someone knowledgeable to ensure you don’t injure yourself. That said, if you’ve been weightlifting for a while, setting up a home gym is a great idea.

There are several cautions you must consider, however. Weightlifting, especially, needs to be increased in small increments so that you don’t damage your joints or tear your heart muscle. If you’re working out at home, be sure you’re practicing safe methods.

Avoid lifting to failure. This is when you push yourself so hard that you aren’t able to succeed anymore. It’s often done when trying to increase your strength, but it should never be done while alone. Also, avoid barbells with more weight than you can handle. Over one hundred people died within twenty years because they didn’t have a spotter handy to help them. If you don’t want to become a statistic, be careful.

Instead, train with dumbbells as much as possible, or use bent-over rows so that if a barbell does fall, it falls on the ground and not on you. Also, avoid deadlifts, as you can severely injure your back, and with no one home, it can be several hours before you get help.

Avoid clean and jerks, sumo squats, and bench pressing by yourself. Research alternative workouts that don’t compromise your safety. Many sources online will show you ways to use your equipment without putting yourself in danger.

If you simply don’t want to leave these out of your workout regimen, there’s a simple solution! Workout with a friend. Invite someone over who can spot you and do the same for them. You’ve probably meant many people on your workout journey who would love to come over and use your equipment.

Now that we have gotten the cautions out of the way let’s talk about the benefits of working out at home. First, the environment is cleaner. Working out puts significant stress on your body, and getting sick can keep you from accomplishing your best workout. Second, there are zero distractions at home, meaning you can entirely focus on the equipment and how your body feels. Third, you can train more often.

If you want a home gym but can’t justify the cost of a brand new setup, consider buying second-hand. Make sure the equipment is in good repair and sized correctly for you. The bench should match the width of your shoulders, and the weights should align with your goals. There’s no need to buy the entire set if you’re only going to use half of it.