Getting injured is one of the most common reasons someone gives up on exercising, but most injuries are fairly easily prevented! It’s really important to do what you can to avoid those injuries since they can not only derail fitness progress, but make it hard to keep going and finishing fitness programs.
Here are some of the best ways to prevent injury while exercising.
Warm Up And Cool Down Properly
When you work out, you need to make sure that you warm up and cool down. If you just jump straight into your workout, your muscles are still tight and not ready for movement - especially if you’re sedentary at work!
Warm ups need to use your muscles gently and get your heart rate up slowly. Cool downs are almost the exact opposite, designed to slow down your heart rate and stretch your muscles while they’re warmed up.
Stretch for Flexibility
Speaking of stretching, make sure you’re working on your flexibility! A base level of flexibility will help you compensate for possible issues and improve your range of motion- in and out of the gym.
Use Proper Form
When you work out, make sure that you’re doing all movements with proper form. It’s far more important to keep form than to get your repetitions. If you can’t get as many as you wanted but your form is perfect for those you did, you’re going to not only get a better work out, you’re significantly less likely to get injured!
Use the Right Gear
One of the most important pieces of this is wearing the correct shoes. Don’t wear old shoes, replace any athletic shoes every couple of years - sooner if you use them frequently.
Make sure you’re also wearing properly fitting clothing that’s not going to catch on the equipment you’re using. It doesn’t need to be form fitting, but it shouldn’t be extremely baggy if possible so that you don’t get hurt.
Cross Train
Don’t just do one thing! If you overwork certain muscles they’re significantly more prone to injury. Balance out your workout plan by adding in other workouts to use different muscles. For example, if you prefer running, do a cycling or swimming workout during your weekly routine as well.
Don’t Overdo It
If you haven’t exercised in months, years, or at all, don’t go too hard too fast. Doing too much work too quickly is one of the main causes of injury during exercise. Listen to your body - take breaks as you need them. Whether they’re a few minutes or a few days.
Add Strength Work Into Your Routine
Having strong muscles will help prevent a lot of injuries! Make sure you take time to do strength work when you exercise. Even if you prefer cardio style workouts, the strength will help your performance across the board!
Injuries can happen, even when you’re at your best. But doing as much as you can to prevent injury will help you in the long run!