If you’re going to be working out, in a gym or otherwise, it’s important that you take care to avoid injuries.
If you’re not careful, you can injure yourself badly enough that you’ll need to rest for weeks on end, putting a significant dent in your progress and goals! Severe injuries may even require surgery from a professional like K. Mathew Warnock, MD.
However, this isn’t something to fear, only something to be aware of. Here are some simple tips to help you avoid hurting yourself on your exercise journey.
Warm Up Properly
We’ve all been told to warm up properly, but few people realize the true importance of that short ten-minute commitment before you work out. Getting your muscles and joints ready for movement will help make sure you don’t pull or tear anything.
Before each workout, try to do five to ten minutes on any cardio machine you prefer (treadmill, elliptical, StairMaster, etc.) and follow this up with some dynamic stretching. On the opposite end, it’s equally important to focus on recovery: rest, sleep, hydration, and nutrition!
Use Proper Form and Technique
The easiest way to hurt yourself in the gym is to exercise in bad form. Compound movements like squats and deadlifts can be dangerous if you add too much weight to the bar without mastering the technique first.
Make sure to watch instructional videos, and ask for help from a personal trainer if you’re unsure of how to perform the movement properly. When you’re a beginner, its crucial that you practice movements with light weight before trying to build strength.
Listen to Your Body
Even if you feel like you’ve perfected an exercise, you might still have moments where things don’t feel quite right. Above anything else, it’s essential that you listen to your body’s pain signals and don’t try to push through discomfort during a workout.
This might lead to more serious injuries and is never worth the risk. If you feel any pain or discomfort, rather opt out of the exercise and try something else, or cut your workout short and take some time to rest.
Gradually Increase Intensity
Getting stronger, faster, and fitter is exciting. However, trying to go too hard too fast can be risky. When it comes to increasing weight or intensity, it’s best to approach this cautiously.
Set yourself some realistic goals, and increase your output incrementally week by week. Make sure to challenge yourself in every workout without pushing yourself beyond your own limits.
Invest in Quality Equipment
Finally, make sure you’re dressed the part. Yes – even your clothes might be a hazard in the gym!
Shoes are the most important consideration here. There are different types of exercise shoes for a reason, and you should take care to match your footwear to your workout each day (don’t deadlift and run in the same shoes). You should also invest in high quality comfortable gym clothes and accessories that might help you, such as gloves or wrist straps.
