Dumbbell Safety: What You Should Know

Dumbbell safety is usually not the first thing people think about when they’re working out. Most people tend to focus on the benefits and the results of exercising, but a consideration for safety when exercising with dumbbells will lower the risk of unnecessary injuries, and increase your chances of reaching your fitness goals.

Here are some safety tips when lifting weights:

Know How to Perform the Exercise!

If you can’t find someone knowledgeable about exercise to show you how to lift weights, you can find resources online with information and dumbbell exercise illustrations to guide you. However, pay close attention to the details of the exercise diagrams. If you find yourself having difficulty performing the movements by looking at the photo or image, consider seeking the help of a fitness trainer.

Get a Spotter

When you’re performing exercises like dumbbell bench presses or dumbbell shoulder presses, get someone to spot you. With someone spotting you during the exercise, you can be assured that if you can’t push that last rep, the dumbbell will not come crashing down on your head!

Read the Adjustable Dumbbell Manuals

I know this is tedious, but it’s important to read and review the safety precautions in the manual that came with your adjustable dumbbells. And with different adjustable dumbbells, you’ll get a different type of safety precaution. For example, with the Powerblock dumbbells, you’re not supposed to drop the weight on the ground bang the weights together or else that could cause the selector pins to dislodge, but the Ironmaster dumbbells are designed in a way so that if you drop the weight or clash the dumbbells together, it’s still safe to use them.

Wear Shoes!

Even if you’re exercising at home, you should wear shoes for protection while lifting weights. The last thing you want is to drop a dumbbell while performing dumbbell shrugs with a heavy weight, and having that dumbbell land right on your baby toe. Ouch.