Mistake 1: Barbell Squat
The Mistake
The first mistake people make when performing squats is not keeping their knees over their toes as they lower down into the squat position. The most common path is for the knees to begin moving inwards so they are in more of a 'knock-kneed' position.
Rarely you will also see people performing the opposite, with their knees moving in the outwards direction; however this usually happens only when the individual is bowl-legged to begin with or has a very natural turnout ability (feet naturally point outward like a dancer's).
When the knees follow this path, it places much more stress on the ligaments and connective tissues holding the knee cap and will often result in a great deal of pain within the knee joint.
To prevent this from happening, it is best to perform your squats in front of a mirror so you can watch and precisely track where the knee joint is moving.
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If you see them moving slightly out of alignment, correct their tracking before going down any further. If it is a problem that is happening repeatedly, chances are that you may be lifting too heavy of a weight and simply lightening your load will correct the problem.
Mistake 2: Barbell Curls
This is usually seen when guys are trying to hoist a very heavy weight that is not within their ability. They will start curling the weight up and finish by using the momentum of their upper body to fully curl the bar to the finish point.
Barbell Curl.
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When this occurs, a great deal of stress is placed on the lower back and shoulder joints, as it is no longer the muscles that are pulling the weight up, but the speed of the movement.
The thinking behind this is that by using a heavier weight you will help to further push your muscles (after all, muscle growth is the result of overload); however, when the weight gets too high and this begins happening, the biceps aren't really even working anymore so no positive benefits will result.
To correct this problem, first lighten the amount you are lifting. This is the primary cause of this issue to begin with. After you have done that, really concentrate on keeping your elbows locked against the side of your body during the movement.
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This will prevent you from swinging the weight up as if you were to use the swinging motion the elbows would also begin to move upwards.
A better way to achieve results with this exercise is through a slow and controlled motion, so focus on resisting the tension on both the way up and the way down, and I promise you will see much greater changes in your arm than if you performing the swinging motion that was going on before.
Mistake 3: Military Press
What happens is they begin with good form, lifting the weight just above their head, but then as they continue to push upwards they begin to sway their backs forming a wonderful U-shape in their lumbar region. This is a perfect recipe for lower back pain.
Military Press.
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With that heavy weight above your head and gravity acting down on it the weight is multiplied and the force gets focused on your lower back vertebrae. And since the spine is in an unnatural curvature the pressure loaded on these vertebrae will not be supported and can lead to a great deal of problems.
The simplest way to correct this problem is simply to use a military press machine with a back rest. This will help you to keep your back straight while performing the exercise (note that it is still possible for individuals to begin to sway in this machine as well so you will still have to concentrate on keeping your back tight against the back rest).
Machine Shoulder Press.
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If you prefer not to use a machine to ensure you maintain proper form then try using less weight and perform the exercise standing sideways in front of a mirror. As you lift the weight, watch in the mirror and see what your back does.
YPES OF INJURIES
- Tendonitis: Inflammation of the tendon connecting muscle to bone.
- Strain: Over-stretch/over-use of a muscle.
- Sprain: Over-stretching a ligament connecting two bones.
- Bursitis: Inflammation of the bursa sack which serves as padding between a muscle and a bony prominence.
- Avulsion: Complete tearing of a muscle. Typically along the junction between the muscle and its tendon.
- Contusion: Bruising caused by impact.
- Fracture: Breakage of a bone. Can be complete, partial, or from compression.
COMMON
- Tear: Injury resulting from avulsion/tearing of the tendon connecting the Pectoralis Major to the humerous. Most often seen in people who overuse anabolic steroids (discussed later). A minor tear will be painful and may demonstrate minimal bruising. A major tear will result in a balling of the muscle towards the sternum with a significant amount of bruising.
- Elbow Tendonitis:
- Triceps Tendonitis: Pain along the tendon of the triceps connecting into the pointed part of the elbow. Resulting from overuse.
- Lateral Epicondylitis / Tennis Elbow: Pain along the lateral epicondyle (outer bone on the upper portion of the forearm). Results from strain placed along the origin of the extensor muscles of the forearm. Can ultimately result in tearing of these muscles.
- Medial Epicondylitis/ Golfer's Elbow: Pain at the medial epicondyle (inner bone on the upper portion of the forearm). Due to overuse of the flexor muscles of the wrist usually indicated by pain with gripping weights.
- Back Strain/Sprain: Indicated by pain at center of lower back, along top of gluteal muscles, or along paraspinal muscles. Usually resulting from lifting too much weight or using poor form during squats or deadlifts.
- Knee Strain/Sprain: Various injuries include meniscal tears, patellar tendonitis, ACL tears, bursitis. Will be indicated by pain along the joint line of the knee, behind the knee joint, or just below the knee cap along the patellar tendon.
- Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: Soreness in a muscle that has been worked. Typically occurs within 24-48 hours and should be gone within 72 hours. Resulting from build up of cortisol, lactic acid, or micro tears in the muscle.
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