It’s Spring time and exercising is in the air and in the stores. Have you seen the latest elliptical out in the store or how about all of the protein shakes and fruit? With that being said, there is a lot of information out there to get you started with exercise, but sometimes you can get the wrong information from online sources or from people, which can lead to injuries for you if you don’t practice the correct form or warm-up period. Here are some tips for you to use so that you don’t get hurt or injure yourself!
1. Know your limitations. One of the common things that I see are people trying to go 100% initially after not having exercised in months or even years. You shouldn’t try to push yourself so hard right off the back. Take it easy and if you find that it is too easy, you should gradually increase the time and intensity. There is no certain time period to do this, but if you are gasping for breath while running, it’s time to slow the treadmill down.
2. Start small and work toward a higher weight. You should try to start at a weight that you know you can comfortably lift and then increase your weight. If you use too much weight, your form will be off and that can cause you to injure yourself.
3. Warm-up. This is a crucial part of the process. A warm-up is important because it allows your muscles to be warm while trying to increase your muscle’s strength. This is a great way to prevent an injury.
4. Cool-down. This can increase your flexibility, which can help you with your exercises. Cooling down also allows for your heart rate to slow down before you stop exercising. Cooling down is just as important as warming up.
5. Wear proper workout attire. You should always wear tennis shoes and comfortable clothing that isn’t too big or too small while exercising. You never want to wear sandals or an open toe shoe while exercising because if a weight drops on your toes, you’ll be lucky to have just a few broken toes. Proper work out attire can help prevent injuries, especially of your ankles and feet.
6. Get enough rest between work-outs. You never want to over-train because it’ll do your body more harm than good. Instead have a rest day that you want and let your body heal from the exercise that you’ve been doing.
7. Cross train. You should alternate between what types of exercises you complete. For example, alternate your days where you do your arms, legs, back, and cardio. Don’t feel like you have to do just weight lifting or just cardio. Combine them all to make the perfect routine. You don’t want to focus all of your time only on your legs or your arms.
8. Learn the proper technique. Never try a new exercise without knowing the proper technique. One wrong move could cost you and make you injure yourself. Always know what weight to use or which way that you need to stand and position yourself before attempting any new exercise.
9. Stay hydrated. It is so important to remain hydrated during any physical activity to keep your body functioning properly. Dehydration has bad consequences that can ruin your performance and your body. Always remember to stay drinking water.
10. Get a personal trainer. A personal trainer can really help you with your progress and making sure that you do all of these things. They can teach you the proper techniques and spot you so that you don’t injure yourself or push yourself too hard initially. If you are a trained athlete, they may push you a little harder than you would push yourself.
Overall, it is all about safety and making sure that you do everything correctly. Never complete an exercise that you aren’t comfortable doing and always remember that there is someone that can help you with your exercises.