Training Tips for Beginners: Home Gym Safety

A workout studio is great for getting in shape, yet home gym safety is one area many of us tend to overlook. You already know that you shouldn’t lift a heavy barbell without a spotter or using a rack, but you should also keep a few other home gym safety tips in mind.

Here are some things to remember to keep the workout area safe for yourself and others:

• Make sure your equipment is in good working condition and that you frequently inspect your home gym’s cables and pulleys, as well as any other moving parts.
• Keep a tidy home gym. Safety concerns are important so pick up equipment and accessories; don’t leave things on the floor where you might trip over them.
• Don’t lift or press unless you check to see that the pin is inserted all the way in a selectorized stack, or that the collar is snug holding plates onto the barbell or dumbbell.
• Keep children away from equipment. This safety tip is true not only when you aren’t present in the gym, but also when you are there and lifting. Buy a shroud for any open weight stack to keep little fingers from being pinched or crushed, and don’t let little ones run around the home gym when you are lifting free weights, for example, or swinging a kettle bell.

• If you don’t have a spotter, consider investing in a power rack, Smith machine, or Leverage home gym, any one of which will allow you to lift heavy safely while lifting alone.
• Never hold your breath during lifts or hyperventilate since it could cause you to faint. Breathe out when you push; breathe in during the negative phase (lowering of the lift or press).
• Keep your back straight when lifting and always observe proper form.
• Be careful not to lift more weight than you can handle. Your legs may be strong, but can your knees handle the load safely? Generally: you should select a weight that tires the muscle out after no more than 12 repetitions.
• Train using progression; i.e., if you train regularly, increase intensity and loads gradually, allowing your body to build strength and endurance safely. This will help you avoid “overuse” injuries.
• Rest and recovery is important. Make sure you rest for a day or two days after a day of lifting in your home gym. Don’t schedule resistance training exercises for more than three or four days a week. Play it safe and give your muscles time to recover, repair, and rebuild.
• Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after any home gym workout session.
• Wear appropriate footwear.
• Remember to warm up before lifting and do a cool-down session afterwards

By following a few simple home gym safety tips, you’ll stay injury free and enjoy your workout sessions more while getting the best benefits from your time in the gym.

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