How can you avoid injuries while you’re working out at the gym?
- Always start and end with stretching
- Remember to warm up and cool down
- Cross train
- Nourish and fuel your body
- Allow your body to rest and recover
Gym injuries are quite common. Whether you’re in a regular gym in Manila or a high-end, luxurious gym somewhere else, you are just as prone to injuries as any other member, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. It can happen to literally anyone regardless of their experience and fitness level simply because everything, even walking, can cause an injury.
Injuries as mild as a sprain can short-circuit a workout program in the blink of an eye. And this just isn’t ideal especially if you have a competition coming up. Even if you’re a non-athlete who’s working out in the gym for personal fitness and health reasons, it can derail you physically, emotionally, and mentally and ultimately prevent you from reaching your goals.
That said, we’re here to help you greatly cut your risk of getting hurt at the gym. Here are some tips to help you avoid gym injuries and how to keep your body going without pushing it to the brink of breaking:
Always Start and End with Stretching
All your workout programs should always start and end with a couple minutes of stretching. Most of us know of the importance of stretching especially before an intense physical activity. We see athletes do it all the time before a big game or competition, so it should be pretty apparent that it’s a crucial part of exercising or working out. It only takes a couple minutes and it does wonders for your body.
Remember to Warm Up and Cool Down
Warming up and stretching are two completely different things and have very different effects. Stretching just helps increase flexibility but warming up actually preps your body for exercise both mentally and physically. It increases your body’s core temperature, gradually increases your heart rate, helps facilitate proper blood flow, and loosens your muscles and joints.
Though the two are different, they must both be done prior to working out. There are many ways to warm up like getting on an exercise bike, skipping rope, or jogging in place.
Aside from this, it is also imperative that you let your body cool down after your workout routine. What this does is it slowly lowers your heart rate and brings it back to normal. You can do this by walking for 5-10 minutes or doing light exercises. After which, you can cap off your day at the gym with a few minutes of stretching.
Cross Train
Don’t be alarmed! We aren’t suggesting that you enroll to a CrossFit class that is often viewed as brutal and extremely exhausting which is actually a misconception because not all CrossFit programs will work you to the bone but we digress. We are only suggesting that you vary your workout.
Sticking to the same workout routine day in and day out will lead to the overuse of a certain set of muscles. In time, this will lead to you developing repetitive-use injuries like tendinitis and shin splints.
In order to avoid this, engage in different activities. You can lift one day, run on the other, and swim on the rest. Not only will this prevent you from injuries, it also gives your muscles a break and revs up your metabolism.
Nourish and Fuel Your Body
What you put in your body is just as important as what you do to it, meaning that the things you eat and drink affect the way your body responds to working out. Heading to the gym while you’re hungry and obviously lacking fuel can only have bad results.
Working out with an empty stomach leads to nowhere. After a few minutes of lifting weights or running on the treadmills, you’ll only find yourself out of energy and exhausted and unable to go on with your routine. It also prevents your body from repairing your muscles so you’ll be more prone to injuries.
The best way to fuel your body is, of course, to regularly eat a balanced meal before and after you work out. Another is to drink plenty of water and this is during, before, and after your workout session. The general rule of thumb for this is to drink 8 ounces 30 minutes before, every 20 minutes during, and within half an hour after.
Allow Your Body to Rest and Recover
Once you’re in the zone and completely captivated with fitness, lifting, and working out, the idea of a taking even a day off tends to lose its appeal. You have no idea what to do during those days. Surely, you can’t sit around for an entire day, you’d rather be at the gym shaping your abs or lifting weights.
Having a positive attitude towards exercise is actually healthy and beneficial for you. It’s also a rare quality to have, so props to you for developing it. There is a downside to this, though, and that’s when your love for working out has grown too much to the point that you always have to be doing intense physical workouts at the gym.
Rest days also prove a purpose and should be a part of your routine. They are necessary to give your muscles time to recover and rebuild. In a way, it actually makes you stronger and faster, so make sure not to skip rest days and let your body relax by doing feel-good recovery activities like a massage or yoga.
Key Takeaway
Gym injuries aren’t ultimately inevitable; there are many ways to lower your risks of getting injured and you need only to follow the tips we have given above. You can do these things while you’re at your favorite gym in Manila to guarantee that your workout sessions flow better and smoother. These workout tips also help ensure that you progress steadily and safely as you work towards your many fitness goals!