Flex those muscles, guys

Manpriya Singh

As the stereotypical association goes, weight training is about vanity, masculinity, body building and who knows maybe more. But anyone invested in fitness and health knows doing weights is not just about flexing muscles, it’s about building and maintaining muscle mass, which is necessary for all of us and more so as we age and start to lose muscle mass.

“Weight training has a great effect on the metabolic rate,” before busting the myths and misconceptions that invariably go with weight training, Pushp Preet Singh, ex-head trainer, BodyZone Fitness & Spa, instead likes to start with the benefits of doing weight training. “It’s great for people with weak muscles due to several reasons. As one can gain strength through this form of training.”

Calling all the ladies…

To lift weights. In fact, more and more so.  While taking care of the apprehension often harboured by women, he says, “It’s another misconception among women that if they lift weights, they’ll become bulky. In fact, women should do more of weight training as they’ll not gain. Their bodies are different. Females especially need lower body strength and for that weight training is perfect.”

How popular is it in  Chandigarh?  

There is no denying its popularity among those hitting the city gyms, especially, “among youngsters and even grown up adults a little short of middle-age bracket, but it is a hit among teenagers and those between 20 and 30s.”

Dos and don’ts 

For anyone, who has been through the beginner’s stage, will know the golden rules of thumb. Don’t lift if it hurts; don’t lift more than you can. “It is extremely important to be under the supervision of a certified trainer,” he adds, pointing out the tendency among people to do it all by themselves. “Also they don’t start by weighing themselves, which is the first thing. Then accordingly one must make a work-out log.” That’s not it. “In cross fit, momentum is used, whereas in weight training, tempo is used. So, it’s not just in lifting the weights or while contracting the muscles that one needs to be careful. It’s important to be more focused while lowering the weight. There should be no jerky movement at any point.”

Ego-lifting, are you?

Another common mistake that he points out and puts the onus on, surprisingly, ego-lifting. “Especially in the set up of a gym most tend to ego-lift without even knowing it. There are people watching up, those from the opposite gender and one gives into the tendency to flaunt it. That’s when ego lifting happens and that invariably results in injury.” Lifters, beware.

manpriya@tribunemail.com