The Importance of Lifting

Weightlifting is seen as a positive and a negative in the eyes of parents and people everywhere. Some say it affects their son or daughters body in a negative way by putting too much strain on their bodies to early in their life. Others argue that it is very effective because it allows for their child to get stronger and fit during a time of development. I agree with the fact that lifting is a great thing for kids to do, although there are some caveats if the exercise is not done properly.

I started lifting in seventh grade. I started because I wanted to get stronger so I could have more success in my sporting activities, and so I could stay physically fit. In middle school I did common lifts so that I could get my arms and legs stronger, but didn't do anything too strenuous so I wouldn't hurt myself. Once I got to high school however, I started lifting more often and made it into a lifestyle. 

One reason why lifting is important is because it helps keep your body fit. As I talked about in a previous blog staying active is very important, and this is one activity that can be done for an hours worth of time. One thing to keep in mind when you lift though is that the body needs a break. Lifting every day of the week, every week is not good on your body at all. Lifting builds up lactic acid in your muscles because it uses all of them, and if a days rest between lifts is not used, then injuries can occur. Especially for heavy lifters, one day between lifts should happen otherwise eventually the body will get to warn out and eventually injure itself.

Another important thing to keep in mind is to lift smart. Lifting with friends or teammates is a great thing to do because it gives you a person to work with and they can also help motivate you. The one thing to be careful of is to not "overdue" yourself. Many kids try and match what their friends do, but in lifting this can't happen. The most injuries come from having to much weight on the bar, causing bad form, which leads to injuries. The lifter needs to know in their mind how much they can do and stick with that number no matter what their friend or partner is doing. It is a great thing to push yourself when you lift because that allows you to get stronger and make gains on your weights, but trying to do too much at one time can end badly.

Lifting is used in sports because it helps the athlete get stronger and more "athletic". I started lifting because of sports and then once I started, enjoyed it so much that I continue to do it in my daily life. The reason why coaches stress lifting as much as they do is because it can help prevent injuries during the season. The stronger your muscles are the better! A lot of injuries in sports are muscle related, whether that be a tear or strain of a muscle. Lifting can help strengthen this muscles so it is harder to injury yourself. It by no means prevents injuries 100%, but does help lower the number of injuries. 

I use lifting as a common way to stay active and stay fit in my life, and it has allowed me to make new friends and grow closer to teammates. As long as the right protocols are taken by the lifter, I don't see any issue in doing it. It makes you look better, makes you feel better, and helps you in athletics. This is a fun activity to participate in, and I think all people should experience!