Workout While Avoiding Injury
By Paul Rothbart
One of the most important aspects of good health is regular exercise. It keeps your body strong and agile, improves your overall health, and can even help manage stress and anxiety. There are many different ways to work out and there are varying levels of intensity. Something to keep in mind is that training injuries do happen. They can set you back while you heal and can also be quite painful. You can reduce the likelihood of workout injuries by following these tips.
Warm Up Thoroughly
Far too many people try to rush through exercise. They often jump into a run at a quick pace or start pounding weights right away with a cold body. This is an invitation to injury. Muscles and tendons are tight when cold. A careful stretching routine followed by some light calisthenics, will loosen you up and get the blood flowing. This will warm up your muscles and tendons and prepare them for work. Your risk of injury will be significantly reduced as a result.
Start Slow and Build Gradually
Some people, when starting a workout routine, are so eager to get in shape, they jump into intense exercise immediately. A body that has been inactive for some time will not respond well to this. Rather than get stronger, your body will be overwhelmed and the most likely result is injury, perhaps a serious one. Start slowly. If you haven't exercised in a while, even a little activity is a big step forward. Allow your body to get stronger over time before you increase exercise intensity. If you take care to stay injury-free, you can keep working out and will reach your goals more quickly.
Fuel Your Body
Working out first thing in the morning works well for many people, but training on an empty stomach is a bad idea. Your body needs fuel for exercise. You need food and also water as you will be sweating. Allow yourself time to digest your meal before starting to work out. You need to have the fuel available and exercising while digesting can cause cramps and other problems. Try to eat a substantial meal and hydrate about two hours before beginning exercise.
Get a Physical Before Starting
Working out can tax your body. Before beginning any kind of exercise, it's a good idea to see your doctor for a routine physical to ensure you don't have any health issues that could be problematic. You want to start training with a clean bill of health, knowing that your body is up to the task.
Exercise is vital to staying healthy. Regular workouts are a good thing but injuries are always possible. Minimize your risk of getting hurt by following these tips as you get into top shape.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Hutto, Tex.