Hello everyone,
I'm frank and this is my entry post to this wonderful community. I look forward to learn alot from you guys
Can lifting weights every day damage your joints?
Not if performed correctly; in fact, lifting is GREAT for your joints. It increases mobility. This is true for all ages. My joints have improved since I started lifting at the age of 16 (and I have continued to this day at the age of 27
There is tons of research on this, including as related to arthritis. Lifting strengthens not only your joints, but also the tendons, ligaments and muscles that work with joints to create movement. Bones are made more dense as well and that will fight osteoporosis.
Damage and pain can occur with:
poor form - an example is the leg extension machine; many people just try to line up their knees with the end of the pad BUT the important thing for protecting the knee joints is to line up the knees with the pivot line (the swivel point on the machine).
too much weight - often called “ego” lifting; just compete with yourself, no one else in the gym. Carry a notepad and log weight/reps/sets for each exercise; you can track daily workloads that way. It’s fun and you can look cool.
using fixed floor machines that don’t match your body - using the leg extension machine again, as an example; some people have really long femurs and can’t use that machine at all. In general, fixed floor machines are fine but they are built for the average body and trunk length - whatever the heck that is!!
continuing to perform an exercise when pain is felt, and I am not talking about tension - the old expression “no pain, no gain” is ridiculous. Whenever you feel PAIN you should stop.
Thanks for reading
