Slow and Steady Wins the Workout
Have you ever pushed through a run even though your knee was acting up? Or ignored that deep, nagging pain in your hip that you ignore?
Pushing through pain and ignoring your body almost always does more harm than good, and it can often lead to injury.
Here are 10 Tips on how to safely workout and avoid injury:
If you feel any discomfort or serious pain, don’t force yourself to work out. Pushing it can do more harm than good.
Take at least one day off from exercise per week. This is mainly for preventive reasons. If you give your muscles one day of complete repair and rebuilding, you’ll reduce the risk of injury. This could look like targeting different muscle groups rather than taking a day off.
Make sure you stretch before and after each workout. Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy. We need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints.
Partner high-impact workouts with alignment exercises. Yoga is a great way to release muscle tension from running, biking, HIIT, and weighted workouts. Pilates, barre and dance will aid in helping with proper form and strengthening your core.
Make sure you are consuming plenty of calcium in your diet. Leafy green vegetables, small fish like sardines, and dairy if your body can handle it can help with bone density. Certain workouts like gymnastics, weight-lifting, and running can slow bone loss.
Include Anti-inflammatory foods in your diet- Working out can cause inflammation and increased cortisol levels in some people, so make sure to include anti-inflammatory foods in your diet. Dark leafy greens, salmon, berries, turmeric powder. For a non-diet approach you can also take an epsom salt bath to sooth inflammation of the muscles and tendons.
Eat the proper fuel for your body to perform. Make sure you maintain a healthy diet of protein, fats, and carbs for your muscles to repair.
Focus on the task at hand, many people like to try to do too many tasks at once. Try to stay centered and avoid distraction during a workout to avoid injury and improper form.
Get adequate sleep. The most underrated point of them all. Sleep allows for the recovery of not only your body and muscles, but your mind. Lack of sleep can put stress on the muscles. It doesn’t do you any good to keep breaking down your muscles without giving them time to recover and grow stronger. When you don’t get enough sleep it may also contribute to joint pain and stiffness.
Know your body! You know your body more than anyone, so if something doesn’t feel right to you, adjust accordingly. There are so many workout trends that we feel we need to follow, but the reality is, everybody is different and certain workouts may work for others but not for you. I find I get the most results mentally and physically from HIIT and complementing it with yoga. But some people may only prefer low impact workouts because of joint pain or ability.
Listen to your body, and practice safe exercise!
