Some other more stationary activities are also good for warming up. Running in place, jumping rope, jumping jacks, or using an exercise bike all work as well. You should always warm up before any kind of exercise or sport. This prevents all kinds of injuries and soreness. If you often lift heavy objects or do repetitive motions for work, a good warmup routine can also prevent work injuries.
Start by standing with your arms at your sides. Then, bend your elbows up like you’re doing a bicep curl and raise your hands to your shoulders. Repeat this with 3 sets of 10 reps to loosen up your biceps. Face a wall and place one hand flat against it at your shoulder level. Then roll your body in the opposite direction until you feel a stretch in your bicep. Hold that for 15 seconds and repeat it 3 times on each arm.
Stretch your pectoral muscles by standing just outside of a doorway. Point your arms up and press your forearms and hands against the door frame. Then lean forward until you feel a stretch in your chest. Hold that for 15 seconds and repeat it 3 times. Stretch your upper back by standing with your left side near a bar or doorframe. Reach over with your right hand and grab the bar. Turn your body to the right until you feel a stretch in your upper back. Hold that for 15 seconds, then switch sides. Repeat this 3 times on each side.
A light cool down exercise like jogging also helps prevent injuries.
If you’re doing bicep curls, for example, try using only 5 lb (2. 3 kg) dumbbells at first. Once you’re comfortable with the motion, add weight slowly until you feel a good workout and stick with that level. If you can’t do 10 reps of a workout comfortably, then the weight is too heavy for you. Scale it down until you can do 10 reps without stopping. Deadlifting is another common workout that causes bicep tears. Always make sure the weight is comfortable for you before doing a full set.
If you aren’t sure about proper form, ask a trainer at the gym to show you. You could also watch videos online of professionals demonstrating the correct technique.
If your biceps are feeling very tired or sore, ease back on your workout. Rest longer or skip the exercise and train another muscle group. If you’re doing circuit training by performing multiple workouts without stopping, then order the exercises so you don’t do multiple bicep exercises in a row. For example, do a set of curls, then pushups, then crunches, and then pull-ups so the bicep workouts are spaced out.
If you do deadlift, always make sure the weight isn’t too heavy for you to manage. Make sure you use proper form as well so you don’t put too much stress on your biceps. The deadlift reverse grip, with one hand facing back and one facing forward, is one of the most common culprits for bicep tears. If you’re new to deadlifting, grab the bar with both hands facing back. When you get more experienced, then you can try the reverse grip.
Train your triceps, chest, and upper back to keep yourself balanced. Pushups and dips are good for your chest and triceps. Rows or pulldowns work your upper back and biceps. Try to mix up isolation and compound exercises that train multiple muscles. Curls isolate your biceps, so also do pulldowns to bring your upper back into the mix.
If you have any pain or soreness from a previous workout, rest a little longer. You could end up pushing yourself too hard and damaging your biceps.
A good sample workout schedule is biceps, back, and legs on Monday, chest, triceps, and abs on Tuesday, cardio on Wednesday, then back to biceps on Thursday. Include 1 or 2 total rest days in your schedule as well. Only do light exercises like a walk on these days.
Try to suggest a non-contact version of a sport instead, like flag football instead of tackle. This keeps everyone safe. Protect your arms in other sports as well. If you’re playing baseball, for example, don’t land on your shoulder when you slide.
When you do lift a heavy object, don’t outstretch your arms. This stresses your biceps. Instead, hold the item as close to your body as you can. Also don’t lift heavy items above your head if you don’t have to. This puts a lot of strain on your shoulders. [14] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
If you feel yourself losing your grip on something, put it down right away before you drop it. This saves the item and your muscles. Working with a partner makes moving objects much safer and easier.
Quitting smoking has all kinds of other health benefits. Your health as a whole will improve if you quit or avoid it altogether.