While others chase rainbows and butterflies, people who dream of getting an Olympic lifting medal focus on their snatch and clean-jerk movements. Having been revived in the 1920s, the sport event of the invincible continues to gain momentum to this day with many training programs adding Olympic lifts into their workouts. While it is a sport of discipline, there is also a high risk of injuries, if one is not careful. Bear in mind that having an Olympic lifting insurance policy is not all you need to protect yourself from life-changing injury.
For many weightlifting enthusiasts, hoping to represent their country in the biggest event of their lives, to give all their strength to set a personal record is tantamount to put their name with history’s greats. To ensure that you reach your Olympic dream, you must first train hard and while doing so, the following safety tips will help prevent injuries and optimise your training.
- Always start with proper preparation. Olympic lifting is not just about the body being able to lift weights two or three times their bodyweight. It also involves the mind and its ability to process the demands of training and the pressure of competition. Ensure you are mentally prepared so that your senses are ignited the moment you hold onto those barbells.
- Warm up appropriately. There is no shortcut to success. Olympic lifters who don’t heed this rule often, succumb to cramping, sprains, and chronic injuries which can impede your Olympic dream. Warming up helps prepare the body for the intensity of the proper training phase by getting your heart pumping and stimulating healthy oxygen-blood flow into your body.
- Learn when to slow down. Do not just rely on having hospitalisation or medical coverage on your Olympic lifting insurance. The key is to know when the muscles have said “enough is enough!” Over-stressing these muscle groups could eventually end in a disaster.
- Breathing is everything. Ask any Olympic weightlifter and no one will ever contest your point. Muscles are largely dependent on oxygen and proper breathing allows appropriate intake of oxygen being distributed to the blood and into each muscle group. Holding your breath can lead to serious complications, the better oxygen intake means better control of the weights.
- Never train alone and make sure the person you train with knows weightlifting. Have a spotter when doing weights in the gym or in your house. Not only will these helpful individuals limit the risk of injuries, he or she can also give pointers on correct form and help to ease the lifting of weights when your muscles grow tired.
- As much as possible listen to your own body when lifting weights. A coach can train you and give you all the pointers on what to do, but the actual lifting will be decided by your mind and muscles. Learn to recognize your own strength.
Keep yourself balanced and healthy while giving it all on your training program. However, steer clear of Olympic lifting insurance claims by ensuring safety precautions are in place. What good is building your dream of being an Olympic medallist when you kept pushing your own self into injury risks? So, train hard but remember to do it safely.
Make your dream become a reality by ensuring your safety. Talk to us at 1300-815-344 for obligation-free risk-assessment. We can tailor an Olympic lifting insurance policy to suit your needs. Call now!