Every person that exercises fears getting that dreaded injury. Every beginner that is new to exercise has an overriding fear of getting an injury when they finally have the motivation to start a new adventure in exercise. As a coach, it is a main responsibility to make sure that everyone from a beginner to an athlete is safe from the injury that is going to take them away from their main goal. Here are some tips and suggestions on how to keep the body going without it breaking down in the end.
There are many ways to avoid injuries during exercise, but these 10 tips cover the basics of injury prevention. If you are new to exercise, or changing your exercise routine, these tips will help reduce your risk of suffering a preventable sports injury .
1.Warm Up Before Exercise:
It is imperative to warm up before each workout to ensure that the muscles and surrounding tissue receive enough blood and nutrients to perform any required tasks during the actual exercises. Skipping the warm up can result in painful muscle tears that take time and rest to heal. About 10 minutes of light cardio routines like jumping, running, or using an elliptical will get your circulation going and qualify as adequate warm up.
A proper, gradual warm up goes a long way to prevent injuries. The warm up can consist of walking, jogging or simply doing your regular activity at a snail's pace.It is never a good idea to workout muscles that are cold. Make sure you are warming up your body to increase your body's core temperature, blood flow to the working muscles, and also to mentally prepare yourself for the workout ahead.
2.Stretching (Pre- and Post-Workout):
Stretching your muscles after your warm up increases your flexibility while giving you a longer and leaner appearance. The increased flexibility will allow you to perform better during your main workout and minimize the risk of injury. Bad form, however, can still result in tearing of ligaments. You should also stretch all the muscles you challenged during your workout afterward again.
3.Hydration:
Trying to work out without drinking water before and during your workout is the equivalent of attempting to drive your car with an empty tank of gas. Before you know it your system will shut down with minor or major collateral damage in the form of injuries.
4.Eat a balanced diet and hydrate:
What you eat and drink is just as important as your workout. Not only will carbohydrates give you energy for your workout, they will replenish those glycogen stores for your recovery and for the next workout. Protein after your workout is just as important as this will help repair those muscles you just broke down. Work with a sports nutritionist to understand when, how much, and what foods you should be eating to keep you healthy and energized for your workouts.
Naturally, nutrition follows the same principle as hydration. Although your body might access your fat cells as energy reserves eventually, you might suffer an injury way before then if you don't have any readily accessible glycogen available for your muscles to use during your workout. Muscle failure in the middle of an exercise will lead to painful tears in the tissue that notoriously take forever to heal. Feeding your body the necessary protein post-workout to repair any muscle fiber damage is of course equally important as the pre-workout carb consumption.
5.Rest:
Avoid over-training and take at least one day off from your fitness regime each week. You should also take a break if you feel extremely sore and exhausted or if you experience intense physical discomfort. Consult with a physician to rule out any serious conditions or injuries.
Your body will give you the signals you need to know when to back off. If that knee is feeling a little achy, your soreness lasts for more than the recommended 24 to 48 hours, or you are just plain tired, then it is time to look over your exercise routine. Rest and recovery might be what your body is looking for. Make sure you take those rest days as your body is making actual gains during this time.
Keep in mind that your body runs like a perfect machine, but on the same side of the coin it needs diligent maintenance in the form of proper nutrition, stretching and rest. Too much of a good thing is always bad and leads to negative results. Know your limits and listen to your body.
6.Visit a personal trainer or get a coach:
If you don't know how to start an exercise program or progress to that next level of anaerobic/aerobic exertion safely, a personal trainer or coach is the perfect option. They can give you safety tips and progressions to either get you started or accomplish your goal without getting injured.
7.Cross Train:
Your body will thank you when you change up your routine by engaging in different activities. This will not only help you avoid hitting a plateau with your workouts, it will give your muscles a much needed break from the same routine day in and day out. Plus, not only will your body benefit from diversifying your exercise routine, but so will your metabolism. Studies show that switching up your daily exercises can rev up your fat-burning.
In addition to helping reduce workout boredom, cross-training allows you to get a full body workout without overstressing certain muscle groups.
8.Be smart about your training:
Just because you could do a specific exercise 10 or 20 years ago, doesn't mean you can exercise with the same speed and energy today. Be realistic about your training and not focus on what you use to do. "Too much, too soon" can be the number one reason why injuries occur. Gradually increase your time and the intensity of your workouts to prevent those nagging injuries.
9.Wear proper workout attire:
If you have to think about how long ago you purchased a new pair of running shoes, then it is definitely time to head to the store. Going to a specialty store for expert advice on what shoes you should be wearing is the first step because they can gauge what shoe fits best with your arch, gait and body weight. So many injuries come from wearing worn out shoes without any support. Your poor feet!
10.Add strength training and core work to your routine:
Having a strong fit body is a great way to keep the injuries away. If your muscles are balanced with a strong core then your body will not wear down or have to compensate for being weak or tight.
11.Fitness Test:
Visit your doctor before beginning a new exercise program. Any new activity can stress your body. If you have undiagnosed heart disease or other conditions, you should modify your exercise accordingly. Your doctor can let you know what your limits might be and suggest an appropriate amount of exercise for you.
12.Gradually Increase Time and Intensity:
When starting an exercise program, many people have lots of enthusiasm initially, and go too hard, too soon. Begin with moderate exercise of about 20 minutes, 3 times a week and gradually build upon this. You can also use the perceived exertion scale to determine the best exercise intensity for you.
13.Visit a Personal Trainer:
If you just don't know what to do or where to begin, a good trainer will get you started safely and help you learn enough to work out on your own if you choose. A few initial sessions may be all you need.
14.Don't Workout on Empty:
While you don't want to exercise immediately after eating a large meal, eating about 2 hours before exercise can help fuel your exercise and help you avoid bonking during your workout.
15.Drink Before You Exercise:
Dehydration can kill your performance, so stay well hydrated. Try to drink 16 oz. of water in the two hours before your workout and then take in water during your workout to replace any lost fluids.
16.Listen to Your Body:
If you experience any sharp pain, weakness or light-headedness during exercise, pay attention. This is your body's signal that something is wrong and you should stop exercise. Pushing through acute pain is the fastest way to develop a severe or chronic injury. If you don't feel well, you should take some time off until your body heals.
In addition to getting enough sleep, it is important to take some rest days. Working out too much for too long can lead to overtraining syndrome and possibly reduce your immunity.
17.Dress Properly for Your Sport:
This includes using appropriate safety equipment for your sport, choosing proper footwear, replacing running shoes as needed and weaing clothing that wicks sweat and helps keep you cool and dry. Read more about how to layer clothing for cold weather exercise.
*Now that you have a plan of action on how to exercise without getting injured, have a safe, fun workout. Then take a few rest days for all of your accomplishments.
*Note: Consult a physician before starting a new exercise routine.
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