If you are someone that is just starting to exercise with the intention to stay healthy and fit, you can be very prone to injuries. Injuries are probably the fastest method to destroy your exercise regime and make all your effort go to waste. Observe some of the tips below to make sure you protect yourself from unnecessary risk and avoid sports injuries.
Warm Up
Warming up is probably the easiest and most important part of an exercise. A proper warm up will make sure that your muscles are no longer stiff and hard. When your muscles are loosen up, the tendency for injuries is reduced hugely. Many people tend to neglect warming up as they prefer to use that amount of time to work out instead. However, it is never good to apply too much pressure to your muscles suddenly. A simple 10 minutes warm up of light jogging or walking is sufficient enough.
Know your limits
Your main aim of exercising is to lose weight, gain muscles and stay healthy. As such, you may be tempted to go all out to maximise the workout quality. However, there is just a very thin line between no pain, no gain and a serious injury. Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is overworked or wrong. If you start to notice swelling and severe pain with stiffness, stop whatever exercise you are doing immediately. An injury will cause whatever progress you’ve made to be null and you will have to restart everything again.
Using proper equipment
You need to carry out your exercises and work outs in a safe environment and you need quality and effective equipments such as clothes and shoes. Do not be tempted by cheap prices. Instead, invest in quality ones with better technology and comfort. It’s always better to have one set of quality sportswear rather than many inferior ones.
Hydration
Hydration is extremely important especially in a hot and humid place like Singapore. When you are totally hydrated, you are able to avoid injuries such as heat stroke, heat cramps and dehydration.
Rest
We understand that the desire to train is high but bear in mind that overtraining will increase the chances of you getting injured. Your body recovers when you are resting and if you do not give your body the chance to recover, it will break down one day and the consequences will be undesirable. Make sure you take a few well deserved rest breaks each week.
Cool down
Last but not least, cooling down. A proper cool down is as important as the warm up and many people often neglect this part. Your body is still at the maximum intensity and you need to slowly let it regain its normal pace. Take this time to do body stretches in muscle groups that you just concentrated on and it will help prevent any soreness or pain.
Avoiding injuries during exercises can be easily avoided if you observe the above few tips. Know your body’s limits and do not do what is impossible. Instead, slowly build up your body’s ability to increase the weights and endurance level.
