- .... If in doubt, always do more warmup work rather than less, especially if you
have had an injury in the area being trained, but experiment with less warm-
ing up (especially in terms of fewer reps) and see how you get on. But never
put yourself at risk. It is always better to do too much warmup work than not
enough, even if it takes a few pounds or a rep or two off your work set(s).. Equipment check
. Never plunge into an exercise without having first checked safety consider-
ations. If you train at a home gym and are the sole user, and maintain your
gear properly, you will not need to be quite so fussy, but it is much better to
be safe than sorry.. Never use dumbbells without checking that the collars are securely fixed
on. Never use a pulldown machine without checking that the cable is safe to
use. If you are using a power rack, be sure the pins are correctly in place, and
fixed there. Be sure the bench you are about to use is stable and not going
to wobble while you use it, etc. All of this is common-sense advice, but this
safety consciousness can prevent a nasty accident. Just one accident could
put you out of training for a long time. You cannot be too careful.. Before each set
. Double check that the poundage you have loaded is what you want—con-
sult your training log. en check that you have actually loaded what you
think you have. It is easy to load a bar incorrectly. Leave no room for errors
that could ruin a set.. Securely put collars on your loaded barbell. While most trainees usually do
not put collars on their barbells, get into the habit of using them. Plates on
one end of the bar sliding just a little can be enough to disturb the balance of
the bar, and mar a set. Get yourself a pair of light-weight and quick-release
collars if where you train does not have them. Take them when you train,
along with your set of little discs, and perhaps chalk too.. If you use adjustable dumbbells, as against fixed-weight ones that have no
adjustable collars, be sure they are securely fixed on before you use the ’bells.
A dumbbell coming apart while in use, especially overhead, could prove
disastrous. Be very fussy about checking all potential sources of accidents.. If between sets someone talks to you and disturbs you, politely but firmly
make it clear you are there to train, not socialize. By anticipating the pos-