If You Can't Lift It, Then Don't Strain It!

June 30 Days Writing Challenge - Life Hacks - Day Two:

I am sure many of us have been to the gym at some point in our lifetime. Some of us even have/had a regular routine at the said facility. One thing that bothered me the most, started when I was in university, was seeing people, men in particular, attempting to lift more weights than they could safely or comfortably.

I was never set on a strongman competition or trying to emulate Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime. I played safe at the gym. As long I got my workout in, I was satisfied.

(Gross exaggeration, but you don't want to do this.)

Maybe you want to impress the ladies (or guys) or perhaps sizing up other fitness fanatics in the room? However, if you are bench pressing anything similar to the guy in the picture above, you are doing it wrong. Not only are you not giving your muscles the push they need to grow, you could potentially hurt yourself.

I constantly come across others who are not much bigger than I am attempting 200+ pound (90+ kg) bench presses with awkwardly arched backs or using massive dumbbells that require "swings" to do curls. I know it is a hard concept to grasp, but most people will not bother to take notice of how much weight you are working with unless you are one of those "gym bros" who want to show off.

I am in no way a big man. Standing at 5'7" (170cm) and 160lbs (73kg), I'm okay with bench pressing my usual 115-135lb (52-61kg) with multiple reps to make sure I feel the burning sensation.

Another thing to consider is a balanced workout. Many of you are probably familiar with the following imagery:

(The infamous leg day meme)

I swear I see that EVERY time I go to the gym. It makes me want to take a sledgehammer and sweep them down at their chicken legs. Skipping leg day is essentially defeating the purpose of fitness. You look ugly and would probably make a fine patient for a knee surgeon one day.

When it comes to leg day, the same concept applies. If you can't lift it, don't strain it! While your leg muscles should be stronger than your upper body, always exercise proper forms and never lift with your knees unless you want woes down the road.

Finally, if you want a chiseled form, please consult a trainer. That's why they are there.

Remember to always be safe while trying to be healthy!

NEVER. SKIP. LEG. DAY.

Most of all, it's a personal progress. Don't stress out by always comparing yourself to others.

Got some other tips for life? Share them with the tag #Challenge30Days!