Four Safety Tips for Strength Training

Kemsco Construction and Equipment Company president Ralph Serpe utilizes a hands-on approach to management of the New Jersey-based firm and maintains involvement with all aspects of company operation, client relations, and work estimation. Ralph engages in strength training in his spare time and meets with his trainer twice a week. The following tips can improve your safety during strength training: 

1. Always do warmups and cool downs. A warmup prepares your body for the activity, while a cool down promotes recovery and relieves muscle soreness. Warmups and cool downs can consist of light activities, such as stretches or jogging. Allow 5 to 10 minutes for each warmup and cool down.

2. Maintain proper form. Proper form can help prevent injury and is required for maintaining your progress. Keep your body aligned and focus on performing slow, smooth movements. Consider using no or very light weights when learning a new strength training routine and acquire a full understanding of it before adding weights. Decrease weights if cannot keep good form.

3. Avoid overexertion. Take caution not to overexert yourself and pay attention to your body’s needs. Do not force yourself to finish if you feel faint or weak and give your body at least 48 hours to heal between sessions. You may also want to take a few days off after recovering from an illness. 

4. Work with an instructor or trainer. A trainer or instructor can help you maintain proper form, set realistic goals, and offer advice for your training regimen. They can also offer assistance if an accident occurs.

Health Benefits of Strength Training

Since 1982, Ralph Serpe has served as the president of Kemsco Construction and Equipment Company in Newark, New Jersey. Ralph Serpe of New Jersey recently began strength training due to the encouragement of his family.

While strength training is an effective way to build muscle, it offers other benefits. Strength training can increase the rate at which you burn calories and may not only support weight loss, but also help you to maintain a healthy weight.

Likewise, it is effective in slowing bone loss, which occurs at a rate of approximately 1 percent per year after the age of 40. By providing the resistance and stress that encourage bone growth, strength training counteracts bone degeneration. Strength training targets the wrist, spine, and hip bones that are particularly prone to fracture.

Moreover, by improving your coordination, balance, and posture, strength training can help you to avoid falls that become more common with age. It may also reduce arthritis pain, stabilize blood glucose levels, and even increase the body's levels of feel-good chemicals known as endorphins. In fact, strength training could offer an effective antidepressant and sleep aid to improve your overall quality of life.