Weightlifting is a great way to burn off calories and build some lean muscle mass in the process. But you need to be careful when you’re first starting out. If you don’t do it correctly, you could end up hurting yourself. So here are some tips that can help you lift heavy weights the right way.

Have A CAN DO Attitude

It might seem intimidating to lift your first heavy weight overhead, especially in front of people who are much more experienced than you. But remember that even the pros next to you were once novices like you. Look for a coach or a trainer to guide you in taking your first steps. Once you step past your comfort zone, you’ll do great!

Go At Your Own Pace

You can’t expect to lift hundreds of pounds over your head from the get-go. We get that it’s a little scary being the only one that doesn’t load a bunch of barbells (or any) at first. But with work and training, you’ll get there. First, you need to pace yourself. Otherwise, you risk getting injured.

Master Your Positioning

You’ll suffer serious back pain if you’re not squatting and putting your weight on your heels while pushing your knees out and your chest forward. Master the positioning of your body. That way, you’ll reduce your risk of injury when you add more weights. Check your body positioning in the mirror or ask a trainer to correct your posture.

Slowly Ramp Up Your Rep Schemes

When you’re just starting out, you need to get comfortable moving weights by building muscle endurance. It’s easy. You just do more sets at a lower weight. In the beginning, you can start off by doing 4 sets of 12 to 16 reps.  After you’re done with your first month of lifting, you can bring the numbers down if you want. But if you want to build muscles, start doing 4 sets of about 3 to 5 reps with heavier weights.

Schedule Your Workouts

Schedule your training of a muscle group. On Tuesday, work your booty. On Wednesday, do your arms. Make Thursday your leg day. But whatever you do, give each muscle group 48 hours before training it again. This will give your muscles time to recover. If you don’t give your body a break, you could risk serious injury.

Get A Workout Buddy

When you workout with a buddy, you’re more likely to show up for workouts. It’s also a huge relief to know someone’s cheering for you when you’ve got some serious weights over your head. Plus, you get a buddy who’ll hold you accountable if you want to ditch the gym!

But Dieting Is A Big Plus

You’ll need to start consuming protein as this will speed up muscle recovery time and help amp up your strength. Try protein shakes and bars when you’re on the go. Add some eggs, lean meats and yogurt to your meals when you’re at home. Remember, muscles are made in the kitchen and in the gym.