Roid rage of a different kind

Do you strain when you workout? I mean really, really strain? Dig in with all your might and pump out your last few reps? For all intents and purposes, this is a good thing. It requires pushing your muscles to some degree of failure (not total failure, though -- technical failure*) to continue experiencing hypertrophy (growth). That all being said, there are a few downsides to such physical strain, one of which may be roid rage. No, not steroids, but hemorrhoids.

Along with constipation, sitting on a toilet for prolonged periods of time, a lack of hydration, and a diet deficient in fiber, strenuous weight training can cause hemorrhoids, which themselves are dilated veins in swollen tissue. One way to help prevent against hemorrhoids while lifting is to make sure that you're not holding your breath during exercises. Take in a good amount of air at the start of the movement and then exhale as you complete a repetition. Wearing a weightlifting belt may also help, though the jury's still out on that one.

Oh, right, the little asterisk* from above -- total failure is the point when you cannot complete another rep, regardless of how much you squirm, shift, twist or contort your body. Not a good thing, as it increases the risk of injury. Technical failure, by contrast, is the point when you can no longer perform a repetition without compromising the position of your body during the execution of the movement. This is the better point at which to end your set.