8 Tips To Avoid Injuries During Your Workout
Working out is one of the best things you can do for your body. It can lower blood pressure and blood sugar, help you lose weight and gain muscle, increase endorphins that make you happier, and improve your self-esteem and quality of life. However, if you aren’t careful, exercise can also result in injuries. I often see people working out with poor posture and weights that are too heavy.
“No pain, no gain,” right? …Wrong!
A good workout begins with good form, a just-right challenge, and focused breathing. Here are some tips that will help you get the most out of your workout without compromising the safety of your body.
Listen to your body.
This is the golden rule. Listening to your body means knowing when to take rest breaks, stopping an exercise if something doesn’t feel right (exercise should never cause pain), and not using weights that feel too heavy.
Pay attention to your heart rate and blood pressure.
Please check your heart rate and blood pressure prior to your workout. The normal resting heart rate for adults is 60-100 beats per minute. Typically lower is better and means your heart isn’t having to work as hard because you are in good shape. Your maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age. With exercise, you typically want your heart rate to be about 50-70% of your maximum heart rate. So if you are 68 years old, your maximum heart rate would be 152bpm and your target heart rate would be between 76bpm-106bpm. Normal blood pressure for adults over 65 should be around 130/80. Low blood pressure (less than 90 systolic or 60 diastolic) could lead to lightheadedness and falls and often indicates you are dehydrated. Right after exercise, your blood pressure might go up so make sure you do not have blood pressure higher than 140 systolic or 90 diastolic before you begin. I also recommend this wrist blood pressure monitor because it is easy to manage yourself and this pulse oximeter to measure your oxygen and heart rate throughout your workouts. *Please always check with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.
Warm-up.
Many of us have muscles that feel stiff or tight and even for people who don’t, jumping into exercise without warming up can put a lot of stress on the heart. Quickly moving muscles that haven’t been warmed up properly can lead to injuries. A good warm-up starts with walking or walking in place and involves moving and stretching all the muscles. I always like to tell people to go from head to toe and stretch each muscle group so they don’t miss anything. Start by turning your head in all directions, rolling the shoulders, reaching arms overhead, twisting the torso gently, and stretching the legs while seated. Ideally, you want to hold your stretches for about 30 seconds. As always, if something hurts stop immediately. Be mindful of any injuries you may have and talk to a Wise & Well Fitness Coach for guidance.
Improve your posture & engage your core.
A safe workout begins with good postural awareness. Keep your shoulders down away from your ears, engage your abdominal muscles to protect your spine, and when you lunge, don’t let your knee bend in front of your ankle.
Go slow.
Fast, forced movements can easily injure muscles. Instead, you should try to move slowly and with control. Typically, the slower you move, the more muscles you will engage and the longer they will be experiencing tension, which then creates more strength.
Stay hydrated.
Dehydration can lead to low blood pressure, muscle cramps, and delayed onset muscle soreness. If you frequently forget to drink water like me, I have a few tricks for you. Put water bottles around the house so it is convenient and obvious. Add flavor to your water such as a splash of fruit juice, some sliced cucumber or lemon, or frozen fruit instead of ice cubes to make it more appealing and easier to drink.
Breathe.
Please don’t hold your breath - your brain and your muscles need oxygen! Not breathing can lead to lightheadedness or even hernias. Oftentimes when we are straining or concentrating really hard we hold our breath, but during exercise, we need to be mindful of our breathing. It helps to coordinate your breath to your movements. Focus on exhaling during the more difficult part of the movement when you are contracting your muscles. If you are doing a bicep curl you would exhale on the way up and inhale as you relax the weights back down. If you are doing a sit-up you would exhale as you sit up and inhale as you relax your torso back down.
Personalize your workout with a Wise & Well fitness coach.
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to exercises. That is why it is so helpful to work with your Wise & Well health coach! With your coach, you can identify your personal goals and create a unique plan for you to reach them safely and effectively. Sign up for your free phone consultation today!
