Simple Ways to Avoid Injury.

 

If you have just started working out or have been working out for years everyone wants to know how best to avoid getting injured.  Not only does getting injured hurt, it sets you back in your fitness goals, nobody has time for that!

Here are few tips on avoiding injury so you can avoid unnecessary pain and set backs while also saving those around you from hearing you whine about your pain and set backs.

Warm Up and Take it Slow:  This advice can be taken in two ways: First if you are starting a work out make sure you take the time to warm up your body to prepare it for the hard stuff.  Start slow and work up your intensity as you work out.  Second: If you are just getting back in the fitness wagon you will want to take it slow at first and warm up not only your body but your mind to this new routine.  Nothing puts you further back then setting too high expectations and pushing yourself to pain and injury trying to reach them.

Reality Check/Know Your Body:  So many injuries could be avoided if you just listen to what your body is telling you. Sure there is always some mild discomfort when you work out (and if there isn’t you aren’t trying hard enough), but pain is not discomfort. Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong.  Listen to it.  The hardest part about starting over when it comes to fitness is that you remember where you were when you stopped and you want to start at that point.  DON’T!!!  Think about how long it took you to get to that point in your fitness and cut yourself some slack and be proud to just be starting over.  You will get back to that previous point in time and hopefully even surpass it.

Hire a Pro: Trainers offer more than just motivation to work out they can guide you through the progression of exercises, weights, and rest that will help to create the safest and most effective work out for you.  Trainers also provide the training on how to properly do each exercise so that you can avoid injury and get the best results.  The great thing about hiring a trainer no matter where you are in your fitness routine is they can help you find the best path to take you from where you are to the next level and how to do it safely and in a realistic time frame.

Cross Train:  Everything in moderation.  They tell you that about food, and they should tell you that about exercise.  Cross training prevents you from overusing the same muscles group, and helping to build strengths in other muscles that will make sure your body maintains balance helping to prevent you from injuring yourself.  Plus cross training helps to keep things from getting dull and keeping you interested in your workouts.

Avoiding injury is a goal that everyone should have on his or her fitness plan. Listening to your body, doctors, and trainers you can work out to your goal with out the annoying set back of having to sit out because of injury, or having to hold back on a great work because of pain.