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Workout Injuries: 4 Simple Ways To Avoid Them
"I start warming up before training an hour before at the hotel. That's not because I feel old and my body needs it. It's because it's prehab. It's preventing those injuries."
Alexandra Morgan Carrasco, an American soccer player for the Orlando Pride
If you are trying to lose some weight, you may start to work out a few times a week or even every day. This can put a lot of stress on your body, and if you are not careful, you could injure yourself severely. You can learn more about common workout injuries and prevent this from happening, though, by taking these steps.
Why does it happen? Well, sometimes it’s a matter of doing the right activity too much or too often. Sometimes it’s a matter of doing the right activity wrong. And sometimes it’s a matter of choosing the wrong activity for your particular body type or physical conditioning.
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#1. Warm Up Correctly
TIP: The first and important thing to do in order to avoid workout injuries is to warm up correctly.
The first and important thing to do in order to avoid workout injuries is to warm up correctly. Start by stretching all of your muscles, and then go through some breathing exercises.
You might even consider going for a jog, just to get your heart rate up. A proper warm-up can increase blood flow to your muscles, decreasing your chances of pulling or injuring something.
#2. Do The Proper Technique
FACT: One of the most common reasons for the workout injuries is because you are not using the right technique when doing exercise.
One of the most common reasons for the workout injuries is because you are not using the right technique when doing exercise. This may cause you to pull a muscle, or even worse, fracture one of your bones.
So if you don’t know how to do an exercise, it’s best to just ask someone that works at the gym like a personal trainer or experienced athlete. They can show you the correct form, and can actually demonstrate to you what the exercise should look like. This is particularly helpful when you are doing squat and back exercises, as these muscles tend to get hurt the most.
Pro tip: Do not copy blindly other guys around exercise technique in the gym. Or actually, lack of it. You would be surprised how many gym-goers have no idea what they are doing...
#3. Don’t Try To Lift Too Much Weight
When working out, it’s important to not put too much weight on the machine or barbell. This could cause severe pain if you are not careful or strong enough.
Instead, try starting out light and get a feel for how the exercise machine operates. After several weeks have passed, begin gradually adding up more weight each time. Weights should be lifted and lowered under strict control, not sloppily swung, heaved, or jerked around.
#4. Avoid Overtraining
Don't put yourself at risk for injury - avoid overtraining. It occurs when a person exceeds their body's ability to recover from strenuous routines. In a word, too much and too often...
TIP: Don't put yourself at risk for injury - avoid overtraining. It occurs when a person exceeds their body's ability to recover from strenuous routines.
There are some very obvious signs of overtraining: insomnia, achiness or pain in the muscles and/or joints, headaches, elevated morning pulse, fatigue and sudden inability to complete workouts, feeling unmotivated and lacking energy, a decrease in performance, loss of appetite, loss of interesting in training sessions and etc.
If you realize that your workouts are suffering and you've lost interest and energy, it's a great time to take a break from your routine. This could mean a few days to a week of complete rest or do something low key and less demanding such as yoga or stretch, walking, cycling...
The trick is to listen to your mind and your body and allow them to take a break if they need it. You'll come back to exercise refreshed and energized.
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Tip To Remember
Whatever your fitness goals, getting injured surely isn’t one of them. Getting injured while working out is a possibility if you are not careful.
That’s why it’s so important to take these steps and avert the workout injuries, as they will decrease your chances of hurting yourself in the gym or when you work out at home or outdoors.
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FAQ About Workout Injuries
Static stretching before a workout can lead to a considerable loss of muscle strength and it can even cause a serious injury, since the muscle is still cold and not yet ready to be lengthened to its limits. Training your muscles under resistance contracts and shortens them.
Here's what you shouldn't do:
- Avoid having your knees go off in different directions
- Never hold your breath
- Do not lose good posture
- Don't try to work through pain
- Avoid using momentum or otherwise cheating
- Don't stop short
- Never stop suddenly on the treadmill
- Don't go without a spotter when you need one
These exercises cause more injuries than any other:
- Overhead squats
- Seated leg extensions
- Lat pull-downs
- Romanian deadlifts
- Kettlebell swings
- Bicycle crunches
- Pull-ups
- Bent over rows
Sprains and strains:
- Sprained ankles can often heal in five days if uncomplicated.
- Acute neck strain, such as whiplash caused by a tackle, can any take anywhere from a couple of weeks to six weeks to fully heal.
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