6 Tips to Prevent Injuries Before You Start Exercising!
“Work is either fun or drudgery. It depends on your attitude. I like fun. ”
You have decided to get in shape and achieve your fitness goals like a pro. You are eager to take your fitness to the next level, and may also feel excited about having that picture-perfect physique, just like your favorite celebrity. But that one sound, ‘Ouch!’ makes all your plans go astray.
There are multiple reasons for injury during a workout. Such as, doing the right workout too often, or too wrong; you may be unfortunate to use flawed equipment or used it without any supervision.
It is better to learn from others mistakes than becoming a victim yourself. Here are a few simple steps that you should take to work out safely and smartly, and prevent those injuries that hinder your fitness goals:
Know Your Body’s Limitation:
Don’t be tempted to do a certain exercise too much when your body is not used to it. Take it slowly. You should not be limited to get into a good shape but also to avoid injuries while exercising. You should know what weak areas of your body are, and avoid pushing too hard on it.
For instance, if you have wrists problem, weight lifting may not be appropriate for you. Similarly, if you have knee problems, you should avoid using a stepper or run on a treadmill because it may alleviate the problem. Instead, try using an elliptical machine or stationary bike which does not cause any jolt on knees.
Keep in Mind Your Gender:
There are various gender-related physiological problems that can cause injuries because of doing a certain type of workout. That means, whether you are a male or a female, you should observe precaution while doing exercising instead of avoiding them completely.
Usually, men are good in weight lifting or push-ups exercises that need rigid motion. Whereas, women perform activities better which require diagonal motions such as yoga, Pilates or cycling. Moreover, during a menstrual cycle, women are more prone to injuries because hormones loosen the joints. So, once you know the problems your body may face based on your gender, it becomes easy to avoid injury during a workout.
Workout Under the Supervision of a Certified Trainer:
This is self-explanatory! The best way to avoid injury is to exercise under the guidance of the trainer. This way you will make sure your body is in the right posture and alignment while exercising and using the equipment.
Moreover, seeking expert advice may also help you from doing the wrong exercises. A certified trainer aids in the right progression of an exercise program, weight, repetitions, period and rest between each exercise and round.
Warm Up and Go Slow:
Rule of thumb to avoid injuries is to take warm-up session before exercise and slowly increase the pace of your exercise. The warm-up helps your muscles to bear the stress and become less prone to injury. Don’t overestimate your strength, this will lead to wrong technique and injury.
Avoid Overdoing It:
Although, to master an exercise it is good to do it over and over again, however, it can also cause you a workout injury. By repeating the same muscle movements, it leads to repetitive injuries of a muscle such as muscle soreness, tendinitis, or shin splints.
In order to avoid these injuries, it is advisable to vary workouts on alternate days. Moreover, give your muscles sufficient rest between the workouts. Also, when your muscles are tired, give them rest and get recover first. Exercising with tired muscles means there are higher chances of injury.
Make Sure the Machines are Working Well:
Many of the serious injuries during a workout are caused by malfunctioning of machines at the gym, so much so, that this may even cause death. Such as misaligned or improperly tightened belts of the treadmill, missing safety keys of the treadmill, worn or damage weight lifting machine cables or broken weight racks.
Even a seasoned exerciser can face a mishap, be it due to malfunctioning of the machine or lack of concentration. So, before using a machine, ask a staff member about how to use it effectively.
The Legal Side of Work Out Injuries:
In case you have suffered an injury because of sub-standard gym equipment or malfunctioning of equipment, you can claim compensation with the help of a personal injury attorney.
Anyone can suffer an injury at the gym. So, it is essential to observe extreme care while stating your fitness regime.
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