How many times have you gone to the gym, grabbed a pair of dumbbells off the rack and started your routine. Ooops! You just committed one of the most common workout mistakes? You forgot to warm-up.
Warming up and cooling down are just two of the most common mistakes made by new and experienced health enthusiasts. Most of my clients say they don't have time. I don’t buy it. If you have time to exercise, you have time to warm up and cool down. It really doesn’t take that much time and the benefits far outweigh the injuries that you can occur, taking you out of the gym for weeks or even months at a time.
Benefits of warming up and cooling down
• Increases blood supply to your muscles, and improved oxygenation of muscles
• Increases joint flexibility and range of motion
• Enhances athletic performance
• Reduces risk of injury to connective tissue
Warming up may consist of:
• Between five and eight minutes of low-intensity treadmill-walking or stationary biking, followed by stretching.
Cooling down may consist of:
• Between five and eight minutes of lower-intensity activity. For example, walking at the end of your run coupled with stretching.
Another common mistake is not stretching enough.
A few quick stretches after your workout won’t cut it. You should stretch for at least 15 minutes after your workout and throughout the day if you feel tight, cramped or extremely sore. Vary your stretches to make sure you hit your muscles from every angle. Another option is Yoga. According to Barb Fazio, a nationally certified yoga instructor; “Yoga works your body from the inside out, increasing your tendon and ligament flexibility, therefore decreasing injuries. Yoga also oxygenates your entire body making you feel energized and good all over.
Additional benefits of stretching:
• Improve your posture
• Help flush lactic acid that accumulates in the exercised muscles
• Aids in healing and recovery
Over the years I have seen some pretty interesting exercises being performed. I understand some exercises must be modified to fit your specific needs. However, seeing someone perform an exercise that seriously compromises his or her joints, spine or lower back is one of the easiest and quickest ways to serious long-term damage. For those of you who are new to the gym, I suggest you make an appointment with a personal trainer to have him/her show you how to use the equipment correctly and help you develop a program that will support your fitness goals. Even those of you who are experienced can benefit from a refresher-session once in awhile.
Don’t let your ego cause your next injury. Lifting too heavy, especially if you are new to the exercise scene or trying a new exercise can cause serious injury. I’m talking months, and in some cases even years. I suggest starting with a lighter weight until you can successfully target the muscle group(s) you are focusing on.
I’m sure many of you can relate to this mistake, especially when you’re new to the gym. Doing too much, too soon. Moderation is key. Start with one or two exercises for each muscle group; one or two sets of 12-15 reps each. Limit the number of days to two or three until your endurance increases and you’re not sore for several days in a row. Your body needs time to recover and repair.
As you can see, it's easy to sustain an injury. However, training smart and educating yourself allows you to exercise injury-free and reap the benefits for life.
Much success with all your fitness endeavors,
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