When trying to build muscle, there is one thing that seems to dominate, and that is, trying to lift as much weight as possible too soon. Weight training can have a lot of positive affects on the body, however, it can also be dangerous, and attempting too much too soon is one sure fire way to do some damage to your body.

Here is some advice and tips on how to build muscle, whilst at the same time staying safe.

1. Before you do anything else, make sure that you take the time to warm up, and warm up properly. Some of the worst muscle and tendon tears come as a result of not warming up properly, so therefore it is important to spend a little time warming up every time you work out.. How much time you spend on this will depend on how long you work out is going to be, but you should always incorporate a few minutes. It is best to start by raising your body temperature and getting the blood flowing by jumping rope or doing some jumping jacks, just to get the heart pumping. You also need to warm up the muscles. I find the best way is to start off with a few reps using about 75% of the weight I’ll be using in the main part of my work out, then up the weight to about 85% for a few more. Then you ca go ahead with your usual regimen using your usual weight. This warmup should only take a few minutes.
2. Being safe at the gym whilst weight training begins with making sure that any barbells and dumbbells you use have their safety collars tightened. If you are not sure what these are, they are the metal discs that screws or locks into place to stop the weight discs from sliding off the bar. This can cause damage to your feet if they land on you trust me, I have seen it happen and it is NOT a pretty sight! This can also result in uneven weight distribution which also has the potential to cause injury. It is good practice to always check the safety collars at the beginning and at the end of your workout.
3. Technique is vital when weight training at the gym in order to avoid serious injury and harm. Lifting weights with the wrong technique or being off balance is a sure fire way to cause serious harm to yourself! So, good technique is important, but what exactly is good technique?If you are not sure of the answer then it is time to book yourself a session with a trainer before you do yourself a mischief, but one of the key steps in maintaining good technique is to lift an appropriate amount of weight. You should be able to lift the weight comfortable to begin with and one set with an appropriate weight will do more good than half a set struggling with something much heavier! When you learn each exercise, a good trainer will show you the right form and you should do this every single time you lift weights. If you find you are unable to maintain proper form the your weights are too heavy.

Choosing An Appropriate Diet

A good diet is another way in which you can successfully gain muscle mass, and the proper nutrition is important because your body will be using much more energy than normal whilst you are working out. Not only that, but your body will also be burning calories when you are at rest and even asleep. Plenty of protein is vital for muscle growth, and foods such as beef and chicken are some of the best you can have, although you need to be sure that the meat is lean with the fat trimmed off.

Having someone to work out with is a good idea; however, make sure that this does not lead to harsh competition between the two of you. It is common to over exert yourself if you are trying to outdo someone on a particular piece of equipment, therefore try to hold back on the competitive nature of your work outs when training with someone else.

Geoff Howardis the owner of Mutant Nutrition . Geoff is an ex-personal trainer who is fanatical about training and fitness.