The gym can be a dangerous place if you’re not careful. Not only can you incur serious physical harm, but the countless phones brought onto the gym floor can lead to your rep taking some damage, too. Stay off the injured reserve, and the next YouTube Gym Fails compilation, by avoiding these gym accidents.
1. THE TREACHEROUS TREADMILL
You may think you’re in control, but accidents can happen in the midst of a full-on sprint during a HIIT cardio session. Keep your shoelaces tied tight to avoid tripping and don’t let your position drift too far back to the edge of the treadmill. Also, be mindful that the running belt can sometimes shift or stick suddenly, especially if you’re heavier and/or running on an incline.
2. USE CLIPS
Failing to keep the bar level during barbell curls, squats and bench press often results in the plates sliding off. Not only can you seriously hurt yourself due to the sudden unbalancing of the weight, but the sound of the crashing plates hitting the gym floor is equivalent to a waitress dropping her tray of dishes in a busy restaurant. So use clips to keep the weights securely in place.
3. KEEP CALM AND PULL ON
Any added momentum from allowing your body to sway during basic pull-ups compounded by sweaty hands on the bar can lead to a terrible fall. Limit your body’s swing–dry the pull-up bar between sets and chalk up your hands to avoid suffering a self-inflicted rock-bottom as you slam to the ground from an elevated position.
4. WRAP YOUR THUMBS!
The poor decision to adopt the dangerous technique of not wrapping the thumbs around the bar during bench press has led to deaths and serious injury. Even if you have three giant, Icelandic-born powerlifters spotting you, they won’t be fast enough to halt the bar from crashing down across your rib cage and crushing vital internal organs when it suddenly slips out of your hands.
5. PINNED IN PLACE
Getting pinned under the bar seems to frequently occur immediately after an atrocious set of bench press where a wannabe hero’s left arm completely fails during the final 3 reps and requires the spotter to complete a mini set of upright rows. Pushing yourself to improve your strength during every workout is important, but avoid attempting an unrealistic weight load. Keep a training log, stick to gradual increases and listen to your body.
6. LOCKED LEG PRESS
Tacking on a set of calf raises immediately after a set of Leg Press can be a convenient and effective superset, but not when you’re held down against your will. If you lock your knees during calf raises under a heavy loaded leg press, you risk becoming stuck in place, especially when your legs are fatigued. Always keep a slight bend in your knees and have the safety latches in place.
7. TIPPING POINT
Unevenly loading or unloading the bar can cause it to suddenly tip over, especially on some old-school equipment with narrow racks. More modern equipment with wider racks helps to curb this problem, but you may still encounter the odd preacher curl or bench with this flaw. To avoid getting a surprise uppercut from the Olympic bar, make sure not to excessively overload one side.
8. LOOK OUT BELOW!
Be mindful of any heavy-duty cable attachments overhead, especially those solid iron lat bars. When you remove the pin from the stack to select the weight, you’re completely eliminating the counter-weight that’s holding up the attachment, resulting in it crashing down on the back of your head. Most cable station attachments like D-handles or tricep pressdown bars are light enough to remain in place even with the pin removed, but a little increased awareness at the cable station is always a good idea.
9. POWERLIFTING PRACTICE
Snatch, Clean and jerk, Power press, or any movement where you’re required to force a ton of weight over your head should not be rushed. The potential for serious injury is just too high. Use bumper plates whenever possible and also train in a proper progression, mastering form before you crank up the weight.
10. HOME GYM LANDMINES
With train-at-home DVD/Blu-ray programs hot right now, training at home opens up dangers to faulty or poorly installed equipment. Save yourself the pain and just stay away from your buddy’s pressure fitted chin-up bar in his basement doorway. Also, a rocky squat rack that’s not securely bolted down to the floor is not the ideal station to test a new personal best lift.
