Frank, a long-time member, was exercising regularly, doing everything he thought he should be doing, yet when it came time for spring cleaning he discovered he had a lot more difficulty setting up his ladder then he had in the past.
In his 80's, Frank is very active, still skis regularly, but now he felt like he was getting weaker!
Frank had injured his shoulder a few years ago doing the Lateral Raise Machine, so he decided to lower his weights on all the machines to make sure he didn’t injure himself again. When I asked how he was training, he remembered jerking the last repetition in order to “finish the set.”
It is a common misbelief that when you use heavy weights you will be injured. The reality is that you can’t get stronger without using heavier weights.
Even with lower weights, injury can occur...when the weight is jerked. When you jerk a weight the resistance it provides is amplified momentarily by 400 to 500%. Slow deliberate form must always be used to prevent injury. The focus should be on tiring the muscle out, not doing a certain 'number' of repetitions. When you’re lifting a weight slowly and you get to a point where you can no longer lift it, you are done. Exhausting the muscle is your goal, not reaching a specified number of reps. It is almost impossible to injure yourself when you move the weight slowly and it produces the fastest results.
Frank's decision to lower his weights significantly changed the results of his strength training program. If you have problems with a particular machine or exercise, discuss it with one of our trainers. They will help you work around the problem. Eliminating or lowering the weight on all the machines will prevent you from getting the benefit from the exercises, especially when you need to recover from an injury, or do some ladder work around the house.
Ironically, another member sent me this link to a New York Times article that addresses this very issue.
Please email me at mikeart48@gmail.com with any questions or comments.
See you soon!
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