Do you lift heavy 2-3 times per week? Or would you say you occasionally lift heavy things to move around the house (i.e. heavy load of laundry, putting your luggage away overhead, doing gardening once in a while.)? If you answered yes to the latter question, then you’re living at your 1 rep max. This is no bueno.

If the heaviest thing you lift during the week is your laundry basket or doing a couple push ups on the wall, then your chance for injury and pain is increased. This is because you are not loading and preparing your joints to be more resilient then everyday stresses.

The best example I can think of is this; say the heaviest thing you lift throughout the week is a 10-15 lb. laundry basket, then one weekend your grandkids come to visit and one weighs 50 lbs. Your 50 lb. grandchild runs to jump in your arms or asks to be picked up, as you go to do it, you strain your low back because you have not built up resilience to withstand that load. Lift for your grandkids! Lift so you can live a life of longevity and be a strong human being who can live without fear of “pulling your back”.

This does not mean you have to go to the gym and lift 400 lbs. like you see power lifting champs doing on tv; and please stop saying “but I don’t want to get big and bulky from lifting.” Do you know how much it takes to get that big, bulky look? Years, and a highly obsessed regime of strict nutrition and following a hefty lifting program. Going to the gym 2-3x a week to lift an 7-8/10 challenging weight for your arms, back, and legs is building you insurance for your body. AND BANDS DO NOT COUNT. Pulling bands apart or rotating at your side can be part of your warm up, but do not count for strength training.

Here are some examples of strength training you can do, but please do not do these if they cause pain, and always check with your physical therapist/trainer/medical provider that it’s ok for you to do these lifts:

Those are just some basic strengthening drills you can add into your routine to build strength. I really love the single leg squats to a bench, because you don’t need weight, but can increase challenge by lowering the target and really honing in on your balance to build this single leg strength.

If you’d like to start a weight training program either virtually or in person, please let us know! You can call us at (858) 371-2575. We’d love to work with you and even just chat about what your goals are. Happy lifting, and remember, lift to live!