Preventing Injuries

Preventing Injuries

1. Stay within your abilities and only gradually increase the challenge over some time:

Ego lifting is pointless if it causes an injury that stops you from training for weeks!

Choose a fitness routine that is well within your range of abilities, while adding manageable levels of challenge. The key is to start where you are and keep it sustainable long term.

We all know the feeling of lifting or doing any exercise with the incorrect form! It isn't worth lifting heavier or over-working certain muscle groups if the correct form is not being used. Of course, part of injury prevention is using the correct form.

Of course, it is always advisable to stop the workout if feeling faint and dizzy. Although fitness is about challenging ourselves, there are limits.

Only do exercises at a weight level where you can maintain the correct form.

2. Stretching:

Stretching not only avoids strains, joint pain, and muscle damage, but one motivator is that it maintains a good range of motion for muscles (stretching lengthens the muscles).

Working out is almost pointless if proper care for the muscles if stretching is not involved.

Stretching should be part of the warming up and cooling down segments of a workout.

If we do not stretch, we lose range of motion, and our muscles will not elongate, they will shrink and be unable to move as far.

Adding resistance bands can also add more variety to mundane stretching.

3. Optimizing nutrition and recovery:

The harder you train, the more rest you need! Nutrition is definitely not going to cure injuries or prevent them, but proper nutrition and rest set the tone for optimal recovery, and all else usually follows. Foam rolling is also a great addition to any recovery routine since quality foam rollers are comparable to deep tissue massages.