08 Sep, 2008
Ask the Coach: Weights and Injury
Question
Hello Damien,
I was recently watching the watching the weightlifting at the Olympics on the television. In one event a lifter lost control of the bar and he suffered a serious injury. Should I avoid doing weights for fear of a risk of injury?
John
Answer
Hiya John.
Weightlifting is an Olympic sport that is very technical and specific in nature. Different events and lifts are performed for one maximal lift at a time. The lifter in question would have years of experience to reach the level of performance to enter the Olympics and as he is lifting maximal weights in an explosive fashion he is increasing his risk of injury if he makes a mistake. A loss of concentration can mean a visit to an orthopaedic doctor.
People entering a gym have no need to perform Olympic lifts. They are more suited to athletes for developing power that the average weekend warrior. When you join, gyms tend to provide a program as part of your membership. You can ask the instructor to help tailor it to your needs where you can learn to control your lifts through a series of repetitions. The weights should only increase as your control of your muscles and the weights improve.
There are fewer injuries sustained in weight-training than aerobics but like any equipment you must be sensible with its use. Weight training has many benefits. It increases your muscle mass which helps speed up your metabolism, stabilise your joints and increase your bone density. Tufts University conducted a study on longevity and they found that strength and muscle mass are two major factors that can increase your lifespan.
The reality is that in Olympic weight-lifting, an improper lift can lead to a visit to an orthopaedics office while failure to go to a gym will lead you into a cardiologist’s office. The path of your destiny is in your own hands but as Robert Frost once said I will favour The Road less Travelled and stick to the weight room.