I promised some training safety tips in a previous post about the tragic accident at the Vancouver Olympics…

And here are the first batch…

First up, barbells…

This is the most used piece of equipment in the gym, and the most neglected.

They get picked up and slammed around day after day. And most think that they’re just a simple piece of iron.

But Olympic barbells have rotating sleeves, and they require some maintenance.

Besides the occasional lube job, you need to make sure there ain’t any’ screws loose.’

In particular, I’m talking about the bolts that are visible at the ends. You need to check and make sure these are nice and snug.

I once used a bar like this, and as I was performing a set of cleans, the sleeves, the part where the weights slide on, started to come off of the actual bar.

That could have been a real problem if I didn’t catch it, especially if I was doing something overhead, like snatches.

Dumbells also need to be checked.

The ‘pro style’ you see in gyms, the once made up with 10lb exercise plate, they sometimes have a bolt on either end that can come loose.

If they’re the ‘hex style’ bells, make sure the welds are solid, and there isn’t a chance for the ends to come off of the handles.

If this happens while you’re training it can lead to a serious boo boo. Just imagine a dumbell coming apart as you’re doing pullovers…

Can you say reconstructive dental surgery? Ouch…

Power racks, if your gym has one, need to be checked too.

These take a ton of abuse. Make sure it can handle it.

I’ve seen many models that are only rated for 750lbs, 750 might sound like a lot, but many guys are able to do at least lockouts with hat weight, if not more.

Make sure the bolts and welds that hold the rack together are tight, too.

I’d also cheek the ‘safety rods/pins.’ Ideally, you should be able to lock them into place somehow.

I was once doing heavy hip lifts and calf raises using a hip belt.

The barbell came down on the pins pretty hard a few times, and this caused one of them to slide out of the rear upright. Luckily the weight was under me, so I simply squatted down and rested it on the floor.

This could have been a really ugly situation if I was doing real heavy partial squats.

If those pins come out of place, where the heck are you going to put the barbell?

Not the end of the world it you’re only using 100 pounds over your max weight. But when you’re using double your max or more, you can end up in some real trouble.

In all likelihood, something’s going to get damaged. Either your gear, the gym, or you…

The above isn’t meant to be a scare tactic, or get to you all paranoid. It’s meant to allow you to continue to train all out in relative safety.

Remember when you’re injured, you’re not getting stronger.

And getting stronger is the name of the game…

Train Smart, Train Hard

Ray Toulany

PS: Combine training safe, smart and hard with the proper meal plan, and you’re almost guaranteed to reach your goals.

Learn more about eating for peak performance and gains right here…