Are There Any Health Risks With Weight Training?

By HelloLife

Weight Training

Whether you want to look like one of the buff gladiators on American Gladiator, or if you just want to tone your muscles, weight training can be the right type of workout for just that. Weight training is an essential part of a complete workout program. It helps tone and condition muscles, enabling them to be at their optimum when working out or participating in a sporting event.

Exercise Promotes Well-Being

Having a healthy workout program keeps the muscles and bones strong. It also promotes overall health, people are less likely to get sick when they are physically fit and they are in a better state of mind when active. When people exercise the brain releases chemicals called endorphins that fight off illness and makes the immune system stronger. People are much healthier mentally when they workout as well. The affects of depression are not as prevalent in those who workout. Depression or feelings of depression are lowered due to the fact that people have better self-perception and are more confident when they look and feel better.

Do Some Research

As with any type of physically activity, a doctor should be consulted before beginning. A doctor can give the best advice on what types of exercise may be good or bad for your body. For example, if someone has problems with their back, a doctor may recommend lighter cardiovascular exercise, like walking or jogging that will not over exert the body. People may need to have heart tests performed before beginning to weight train due to the risks that it has on the heart. There are risks with all types of exercise and fitness. Some pertain more to others, but there is always risk, and it is important to be aware of them.

Risks of Weight Training

Supervision is always needed while weight training. People should not do it alone, due to the overall increased risk of the activity. It is a good idea to have someone spot you at all times while using free weights or weight machines in case you pull a muscle and/or get stuck and cannot lift. It would be best to have someone who is at the same level to weight lift with.

Certain types of weight training exercises can be difficult to perform and can hurt your muscles. Lunges, bench press or squats, all can be hard to do and strenuous if not done properly.

People need to concentrate on performing each exercise. It is important to focus on how to do each one so that they do not hurt themselves or others.

People who lift half of their body weight are more at risk for sudden death

By people lifting too much, it can cause blood pressure to sky rocket and then it may rupture the largest blood vessel in the body, the aorta. This allows blood to flow in through the layers and causes what doctors call an "aortic dissection." This can be extremely dangerous or deadly if not operated on immediately.

Why It Is Important

It is important to know all of the risks involved with any type of exercise, since they all have risks. People should take a doctor or physical trainer's advice to heart when practicing a safe workout. Injuries or even death can sometimes follow if not performing properly.

Sources: http://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/weight-training-cardio-risks.htm

http://discovermagazine.com/2006/jul/weightlifting/

http://health.discovery.com/centers/nutritionfitness/fitness/articles/experts/shealey/cardioweight_03.html