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From bench-pressing to dead-lifts, weightlifting is not for the faint-hearted. Or the stupid.
Check out these YouTube videos which should actually be titled "How not to..." for examples of why getting your form right and having a good 'spotter' is so important.
Never forget that people can easily get injured in the gym, so there's no point in trying to be macho to show off in front of others.
First here is a collection of cringe-worthy moments when bench-pressing goes bad. Bench-pressing is not as easy as it sounds and with the wrong form you can really hurt yourself.
Putting yourself in the hands of a 'spotter' who hovers over you, or worse, is nowhere to be found when you really need him, is definitely not the way you want to bench-press.
Learn from the mistakes of these silly (and now sore) guys:
From bench-pressing to general weight-lifting boo-boos, these guys (and girls) are prime examples of why some people should not be let loose inside a gym on their own. Whatever you do, don't try this at home!
So if you were thinking of investing in a gym contract, it's also a wise idea to find a personal trainer to get you started on the right track.
If you're thinking of training at home, take a look at some of our workout programmes - but please make sure you only do weight-lifting with a really reliable friend.
(Amy Froneman, Health24, updated July 2012)
(Picture: bench press from Shutterstock)
