Lift heavy or light, it doesn’t matter. Every time you hit the gym, your muscles aren’t the only ones clocking in. Your joints are right there with them, working behind the scenes on every rep.
If your form slips, your warm-up is rushed, or the weight is a little too much that day, your joints can end up taking more of the load than they should. That’s when pain sets in and progress stalls.
The good news is you can train smart and keep your joints happy. In this article, we’ll break down simple, effective ways to prevent joint pain so you can keep lifting safely, making gains, and staying in the game for the long run.
Warm-up and cool down appropriately
Warming up should be the first thing you do before performing any kind of exercise or physical activity, especially if it’s as intense as weightlifting. You’ll be putting a lot of stress on your joints and muscles, so you need to make sure you’re properly warmed up and ready.
And keeping your joints healthy doesn’t stop there! Having a proper cool-down session after finishing your workouts will help your body recover faster and more effectively. This way, you can tackle your next workout without any soreness and without putting your joints at risk of injury.
Stretching is one of the best ways to both warm up and cool down. Before your workout, perform dynamic stretches that mimic the movements that you’ll be doing during your workout to increase your flexibility. And when you’re done, perform static stretches to release all the built-up tension and relax your muscles.
Master proper form before adding more weight
A common mistake lifters often make is lifting heavy before mastering a certain exercise, just because they already have a good base strength. Being strong isn’t the only thing you need to perform an exercise correctly – you also need to learn the correct exercise form!
This is particularly important if you’re doing a barbell exercise, as the risk of injury is greater the heavier the weight is. If you don’t learn how to move properly through the exercise before lifting a heavy weight, your body won’t be in the ideal position to handle that much tension and your joints will absorb all the stress from the weight.
Avoid locking your joints
Elbow and knee extension is a very common movement in weight training because they help you lengthen the working muscles in your arms and legs. However, you need to be careful when nearing full extension to avoid locking your joints completely!
When you lock your elbows or knees, you switch the tension from your muscles directly to your joints, leaving most of the weight for them to handle. Not only is this harmful to your joints, but you also lose time under tension on your muscles, meaning that you’re not giving them nearly as good a training as you think. Always leave a slight bend!
Use lifting gear designed to support your joints
When you’re pushing for heavier lifts or higher reps, the right gear can make all the difference in protecting your joints. Wrist wraps provide compression and stability for your wrists during heavy pushing movements like bench presses, overhead presses, and triceps extensions. They help keep your wrists in a safe, neutral position so the weight doesn’t put unnecessary strain on your joints.
Knee sleeves, on the other hand, give your knees both warmth and support during lower body lifts like squats, lunges, and leg presses. They help improve blood flow, reduce stiffness, and keep your joints stable throughout the movement.
Both are designed to help you train with confidence, minimize joint stress, and keep the focus where it belongs—on your muscles.
Avoid bouncing throughout the exercise
During lifting, keeping both the weight and your body under control is crucial to building muscle mass and reducing the risk of injury. However, another common lifting mistake is bouncing between movements, letting momentum take over and accidentally overloading your joints because you’re either using too much weight or a bad form.
When this happens, you’re basically launching yourself to the next part of the movement instead of moving throughout the exercise smoothly. This puts unnecessary stress on your joints and often forces them to go beyond the natural range of motion, straining them. Remember, only use a weight that you can handle to avoid bouncing!
Add landmine exercises to your routine
Not all lifting needs to be done vertically or horizontally – diagonal loading is also an incredibly effective and even safer alternative! We’re talking about landmine exercises, which involve pushing or pulling a barbell that’s only loaded on one end to help reduce the direct impact that the weight has on your joints.
Take landmine presses, for example. The diagonal path that the weight follows as you push it away from your body is gentle enough on your joints that you can even perform it with a single arm. This makes it a perfect exercise program for those already suffering from discomfort, recovering from injuries, or simply trying to avoid future joint pain.
Drop the “no pain, no gain” mentality
Last but not least, if it hurts, stop immediately. It doesn’t matter if you’re using the correct form and light weight, if it starts hurting don’t try to push your body just for the sake of getting through the exercise. If you find yourself in this position, don’t worry – that’s what variations and alternatives are for!
Maybe you can’t get through a certain exercise because your range of motion is limited, you didn’t warm up correctly, or your active muscles aren’t strong enough. No matter the reason, never brush your pain off and instead try a different exercise that targets the same muscles. If the pain persists, stop completely and talk to your doctor.
FAQ
1. What are the most common weightlifting exercises that cause joint pain?
Heavy compound lifts like bench presses, overhead presses, squats, and deadlifts can strain the shoulders, knees, and wrists if form isn’t correct. Isolation moves like triceps extensions and bicep curls can also cause discomfort if you lock out joints or use too much weight.
2. How can nutrition and hydration support joint health for lifters?
A balanced diet with enough protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants supports tissue repair and reduces inflammation. Staying hydrated keeps joints lubricated, improving mobility and reducing stiffness.
3. Are there specific supplements that can help reduce joint inflammation or discomfort?
Glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen, and fish oil are common supplements that may support joint health.
Learn how to lift safely for better gains and a healthier journey
By making sure that you’re not overloading your joints in any way, you’re not only avoiding possible pain and discomfort but also set yourself up for success in the future by keeping your body healthy. Plus, these tips help put all the focus on your muscles, allowing you to make bigger and better gains in no time!
Need fitness gear to help ease your joint pain when lifting heavy?
UPPPER Wrist Wraps and Knee Sleeves should be your go-to for heavy pushing exercises and lower body movements that put stress on your knees! All of our gear is made with high-quality material that is supportive, durable, comfortable and stylish.
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