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The Costs of Weightlifting and Intense Resistance Training
Taken from Variables for Weight Lifting and Exercise © 2001 Anthony Sell - All Rights Reserved
One of the biggest problems for weightlifters, especially for those who partake in intense bodybuilding and training strategies for maximum gains in size and mass, is that they can get awfully expensive. Between paying for a gym membership or the weight equipment, taking time off of work to seriously train, paying for massage therapists, chiropractors, and physician visits when necessary, it can become an expensive activity.
You can add to that the enormous amount of food and food preparation time, the cost of meal replacement supplements, nutritional and sports supplements, time off of work for resting and recuperation, and the costs involved can skyrocket. This is not even considering the cost of a personal trainer or advisor.
Other indirect costs may also result, and though they are not inevitable, they should be carefully considered when designing an exercise program. The more intense the program is, the greater the amount of change in your lean muscle mass, the more likely it is that you will need to purchase new clothing, as your body will change shape significantly enough to demand it. Whether this is because of bulking up or slimming down, change is more likely with an intense program.
Furthermore, there will be psychological considerations, as the way that people perceive and respond to you will change as well. Resistance training will also cause you to repeatedly come face to face with your limitations, which can be an excellent way of realizing one's potential.
Initially it will be of benefit to look seriously at what types of gains are desired and the costs involved, not only in money, but in time. To reap the health benefits of weight training, one need not commit themselves to a professional's grueling schedule, sacrificing work and free time. The best schedules are based around your time, not the other way around.
During training, mild injuries and muscle soreness is nearly inevitable. One of the best ways to reduce the seemingly incapacitating soreness of intense workouts is to use a massage therapist. Massage therapists can not only increase blood flow to the sore parts of your body, they can usually also detect imbalances in size and strength, which may help you correct symmetry.
Chiropractors can also help to keep the joints functioning properly, as the stresses of supporting great amounts of weight can easily throw things out of alignment.