Skyview High School

RULES OF THE WEIGHT ROOM

The weight room is a facility used jointly by the Physical Education and Athletic Departments of Skyview High School. Its purpose is to provide space and equipment for the use by Skyview students and staff for the development of strength, muscular endurance, posture, and rehabilitation.

In order for these goals to be realized it is necessary to have rules of safety and conduct. Such rules are to be known and strictly followed by all participants. In the interest of safety and progress of all concerned, violators may be denied weight room privileges.

ROOM SAFETY

1. No one is allowed in the weight room without a teacher/coach being present.
2. Spotters must be in position and alert during all heavy or extended lifts. Be sure you have been taught how to spot. You are not there to witness the accident or injury. Your job is to prevent it.
3. Safety Collars are to be used and locked in place on all barbells during all lifts. If the bar is loaded when you want to use it check the collars to be sure that they are tight. Don't risk battering someone's hand, legs or feet because you did not check the collars.
4. Clear a space for lifting. Lifters and spotters must insure that there is space to lift or to drop or throw the weights in case of getting stuck or losing balance. Warn away others wandering into your lifting space. Don't lift until conditions around you are in order.
5. Participants moving about the room must be alert to avoid bumping, distracting, startling or otherwise interfering with lifters or spotters.
6. Several machines use pins or keys to select the weight loads. Before lifting on these machines be sure that the pin is locked into the weight stack. There is a hump on the pin, which should be straight up and underneath the bottom plate of the stack. If you bounce the stack check the pins again. Incidentally, bouncing the stack may break the plates or bend the pin, which eventually makes the stack unstable or the pin useless. Keep hands away from weight stacks that are moving up or down.
7. Follow instructions given by the instructor or coach in charge. Maintaining order is important for the safety of all.
8. Conversations should be limited to the business of weight training. Keep the volume down to allow others to concentrate.
9. Background music will be provided at the discretion of the instructor or coach in charge. Usually this is a radio. Again, keep the volume low enough that the music does not become a distraction.

DRESS

1. Shirts, pants (long or short), and athletic shoes are required of all participants in the room. Common street wear is not acceptable. Shirts are required in order to keep your sweat off the benches where the next person will be working.
2. Shorts, pants and shirts must cover you up. Remember that you often get into odd or stretched-out positions while lifting. Don't expose yourself and become a distraction to others.
3. Shoes must be worn to prevent injury to feet. Cleats of any kind are not allowed in the weight room. Bumping into an object probably means a foot injury. Dropped or mishandled plates, bars, or dumbbells can cause injury to feet. Don't risk it.
4. Shoes must be laced and tied to insure good footing.

LIFTING SAFETY

1. Inspect the weights, locks, pins, bench and/or other parts of equipment before lifting. Be sure the equipment is in safe working order. Report all broken or unsafe equipment to the teacher/coach in charge.
2. Lock the weights on the bar. Check the permanent barbells and dumbbells to be sure they have not loosened.
3. Loading and unloading bars must be done carefully. Put a weight onto one end of the bar, and then put an equal weight on the other end. Reverse this procedure to unload. If too much weight accumulates on one end, the bar may flip up, dumping the loaded end on the floor, or worse, on the legs of another lifter.
4. Protect yourself from harm by lifting loads that you know you can start and finish. Plan your lifting so that you can handle the load throughout the set. When you are doing extended lifts, make sure that you have a spotter.
5. Bouncing barbells off your chest, shoulders, back, or legs is bad technique. Avoid doing this.
6. Jerking movements can harm you. Start and stop each rep smoothly and under control.
7. Lifting overhead with free weights is dangerous. Chance of losing your balance is high. Chance of straining a muscle is high. Overhead lifts are to be done slowly and under control.
8. Dry your hands. Don't risk losing your grip, use chalk.
9. Clear the area underfoot. Allow space for movement in case you lose your balance or have to drop the weight.
10. Holding your breath during a strenuous lift is potentially very harmful. Allow your rib cage to move. Breathe during all lifts. Inhale during relaxation and exhale during exertion.
11. Gum chewing or eating is not allowed. Gasping for air during a lift could cause ingestion of gum or food and result in choking.
12. Warm up with a routine of calisthenics, running, stretching, rope jumping or aerobics before lifting. If time is short, part of the warm up can be doing a set of one of your lifts with half of the load you are going to use. But remember: Sweat, then lift.
13. Warm down after lifting. Give your major muscle groups a chance to unload that heavy accumulation of blood that you pumped into them. Take an easy run in place or walk it off. Keep moving until sweating stops. This helps to prevent soreness and stiffness following the workout.
14. Clean up after each training session. Put all plates, dumbbells, and clamps in their proper place. No weights should be left on the Olympic bars.
15. Use belts when you are lifting with your legs or using a heavy load.