Make Your Exercise Work Outs Safer
Because, if you overdo exercise in an effort to improve your health, you can end up in the emergency room. Common injuries include muscle strains and joint sprains, just to name two.
You can make your exercise work outs safer by following these ten tips:
1. Warm Up Your Body
Before you engage in any exercise activities, you need to prepare your body first. Even if you’re in top physical condition, you need to perform some stretches and light exercise to limber up your muscles and joints. Stretches will also introduce an additional blood flow into the muscles you’ll be exercising with.
2. Cross-Train
If you repeatedly perform the same exercises day after day, you’re putting added stress on a particular set of muscles and bones. This constant stress can actually cause injury. To avoid this, change your exercise routine often. Add different exercises into your routine and give parts of your body rest periods.
3. Use Proper Safety Equipment
Choose athletic shoes that offer support and comfort during your work outs. If you cycle for your health, for example, then buy a helmet that fits properly. Don’t forget to buy protective arm and leg pads to protect your body and make your exercise work outs safer.
4. Know What You’re Doing
You probably know how to properly perform your usual exercise routines. But when you add in new routines, make sure you know how to perform them properly. If you take up a new sport such as Handball or Running, learn the proper techniques and the rules to make your exercise work outs safer.
5. Listen To Your Body
Don’t ignore aches and pains in your body. Aches, pains, and other physical symptoms are your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. You may have overdone the exercising or overworked a specific area of your body. If the symptoms continue or increase in intensity, see your healthcare professional immediately.
6. Don’t Try To Exercise On An Empty Tank
Because a meal can make you feel groggy and tired, people often skip eating before they work out. They expect their bodies to perform at its peak, yet they don’t give it any fuel first. To make your exercise work outs safer, eat a light snack beforehand. And, drink plenty of water before, during and after your exercises to keep your body properly hydrated.
7. Follow the “Ten Percent Rule”
The “Ten Percent Rule” means that you should only increase the length of your exercise work outs, the intensity, or the frequency by only 10% each week. This amount will be enough for your body strength and performance to improve gradually. However, it will also keep you from overdoing it and injuring yourself.
8. Keep A Balance of Exercise and Rest
If you work too much without getting a proper amount of rest, your body will let you know. The same holds true for exercising too much without giving your body enough rest. Being tired or worn out will only increase the risk of injury during your work outs. Make your exercise work outs safer by including short rest periods between strenuous exercises.
9. Find a Trainer for Strength Training
Improving your muscle strength is best done by using weights. However, lifting heavy weights without following the proper methods can cause serious injuries.
To make your exercise work outs safer, it’s best if you find a trainer to teach you the proper techniques for lifting weights.
10. Eat Right, Eat Healthy
Make your exercise work outs safer by eating a balanced diet that’s full of vitamins and minerals. Your body needs Calcium, for example, to maintain its strong bones. Vitamin C helps repair your body’s tissue, et cetera. Eat plenty of protein, fruits, fresh vegetables and whole grain foods.
