According to a recent study, weight training injuries for women have jumped nearly seventy percent. Part of the reason might be the increase in women who are lifting weights, but there are other reasons to explain this increase as well. Despite some of the common misconceptions about women and lifting, it is a good idea for women who are interested in weight loss, toning their muscles or both. Weight training is also a great way to keep the body flexible and healthy even into later years.

Experts see repeated and serious injuries with women and weight training more and more, usually caused by common mistakes. But, before the guys think they are off the hook, the experts warn that some of these mistakes are non-gender specific, usually seen in both sexes when they are first starting out. The worst offender in the list of the mistakes: not warming up before the lifting session begins. Even lifting relatively light weights while the body is cold can lead to sprains and strains or even to more permanent types of injuries.

Bad form is also an injury cause that strikes across gender lines according to fitness trainers. If you are not sure of how to do an exercise, especially when you are using free weights, you are unlikely to get in the right position nor are you likely to get the desired results without risking serious injury in the process. Using a DVD or a personal trainer until you have the right form to an art is worth the added expense. Learn to stand correctly which will vary from move to move. With some exercises, you are standing upright, holding your abdominal muscles firm to protect your lower back while in others you are going to be bent over slightly. As with anything, if there is discernible pain, it is time to stop.

Women tend to have strength imbalances in their body- carrying the bulk of their natural strength in their lower body. They also tend to focus on the muscle groups that they can see which can leave them at a serious risk for injuries from the underdeveloped muscles that link to those. Women also tend to have less shoulder stability, especially once they start lifting weights which can lead to strains and muscle tears, frequently requiring surgery to repair and impairing movement in that joint.

Weight lifting should not be viewed as dangerous for women, in fact it can be just the opposite. However, these mistakes and common issues have to be acknowledged and recognized to make the activity safer.