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How to Avoid Common Workout Injuries
Working out is a fantastic way of being healthy, looking good, and relieving stress. However, as with all physical activity, there is a chance of injuring yourself — especially if you are just starting. At ALJ Fitness, we care about your wellbeing, and we tailor our programs to you no matter your level of fitness. Although injuries are common, there are four things you can do to avoid them.
Warm-Up and Cool Down
Warming up is a tried and tested method of avoiding injury. This is because it progressively increases your heart rate, which gets the blood flowing. It also helps loosen your muscles and joints, increasing contractile ability and prevents strains.
Taking a brisk walk, jogging, or even using less weight before your workout will do wonders in preventing injury. Cooling down is the other face of this coin since it helps with lowering your heart rate and body temperature after a workout.
Stretch Accordingly
This is a great way to help open up your joints and improve range of motion and flexibility. However, it is important to remember that you should not stretch cold muscles — stretching after your warm-up and cool down is best.
Use Proper Form and Technique
Utilising proper form and technique is significantly more important than how much weight you use. For better form, always try to move through a full range of motion if you are able. By paying attention to this, you will see better results and are less likely to hurt yourself.
If you find that you are using improper form, decrease the weight you are using. For those who are just beginning, consult a trainer on proper form and technique.
Allow Your Body to Rest and Recover
When working out, you cause microscopic tears in the muscle cells, which need sufficient rest to allow them to repair and build. This is usually done when you are asleep, so sleeping for about 7 hours is critical. You could also train one muscle group today and a different one the next day as the other rests. Recovery also entails what you eat since it forms your body’s building blocks, so make sure you eat enough carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats.
For an effective, injury-free workout, train smart, not necessarily hard. Remember to incorporate warm-up and cool down, stretching accordingly, utilising proper form and technique, and allowing your body to recover. This will help prevent common injuries like sprains, tendinitis, back injuries, crumps, and pulling of muscles.
If you need any more information, you could talk to one of our online personal trainers at ALJ Fitness and get your custom workout programs just for you.