Avoid Injury When Working Out
By Sara Butler
If you’re not working out the right way, then you’re going to run into problems. Avoiding injury during exercise calls for you to know what you’re doing. Even the most experienced athletes can get hurt if they don’t follow the proper guidelines. Here are a few tips to help you avoid injury during your workouts!
Understand Your Limits
Getting stronger means you must work hard but steadily. Understanding your body’s limitations is a huge step in the right direction if you want to avoid getting hurt and stunt your progress. For example, if you have knee problems, you likely don’t want to use a treadmill at the gym to aggravate the condition. Instead, opt for a stationary bike or swimming -- something that is kinder to your joints.
Don’t Forget Easy Days
It’s great that you have the motivation to exercise consistently, but if you don’t allow for some downtime for your body to rest and repair, then there could be an injury in your future. When thinking about your workout schedule each week, make sure to pencil in some downtime. You can always alternate hard days with easy days to make sure you’re getting enough rest. This doesn’t mean you don’t exercise, it just means you take it easy and reduce intensity by 20 to 40 percent.
Technique Should Be First
No matter how hard you train, if you’re not doing it the right way, then you’re sure to get hurt. If you have fitness goals in mind, then you should consult a personal trainer to help you customize a plan that keeps your limitations and fitness goals in mind. A personal trainer can show you form that you just can’t learn from an online video or picture.
Cross-Train
It’s important to alternate which muscle groups you exercise, otherwise, you can land an injury. It’ll help you avoid injury and helps you to get a more balanced workout. Many experts suggest that cross-training is one of the most important things you can do to try to sidestep injuries when working out.
Be Honest about your Age
Getting older is no walk in the park and while it may be tough to admit, as you age you just can’t do the things you used to. A person who’s 50 probably won’t be able to jump right in and do the things someone who’s 20 can. Many people try to continue where they left off the last time they attempted an exercise plan, but since a few days have probably passed since then, you simply won’t be able to pick up where you left off. Working out is essential to your continued health and wellness as you get older, but there are limitations -- respect them.
Avoiding injury when you work out isn’t that complicated, you simply need to trust your body to lead you and tell you when you’re doing too much. Combine that with these other tips and you should be good to go!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Houston, Tex.