One of the most frustrating things that can happen in your exercise program is to have an injury interrupt your training. It’s a terrible setback that can really damage your motivation to continue working out and even engaging in fun activities. This is not mention other potential problems such as being unable to work and so forth.It’s vital that you always learn proper technique when training with resistance, especially heavy free weights. Always lift with proper posture to reduce your chances of back injury. If you aren’t sure how to perform an exercise, ask a personal trainer to teach you. It’s definitely worth the price of a couple of sessions if you can avoid injuring yourself for the long-term.
It’s also important that you avoid over-training. This is not to say that you shouldn’t constantly challenge yourself and get a good workout on your workout days, but it’s just as important that you don’t over-exert the same muscles in the two days following your workout (in some cases even three days).
Another thing that could help reduce your chance of training injury is to warm up adequately before moving into intense exercises and practice each motion before you add significant resistance. By establishing movement in the body, you increase blood flow to the muscles so they are prepared to work. It is true that the body has an amazing ability to react with quick movements even when you were asleep a fraction of a second prior, but by moving around and practicing each motion before you increase the resistance or intensity you decrease your risk of injury and have the opportunity to focus on proper form.
Finally, be sure to treat your body to some rehabilitation time. Stretch and stay as flexible as you can. In my opinion, being flexible is much more important than being strong. It will definitely help you avoid injury and age more gracefully. The strong tree snaps in half when the hurricane rolls through, but the flexible tree bends with the wind and springs back into place when it subsides. Your body is no different as it faces the many trials of life.
In addition to stretching, massage is also helpful to promote blood flow through the muscle tissues to facilitate quicker and more complete recovery. Other rehabilitation practices that you may find useful include Chiropractic to keep your spine in alignment, acupuncture, and of course consulting with your medical doctor right way if you suspect an injury.
If you follow these practices you will reduce your risks of training-related injuries. This is important not just to avoid the pain of injury, but to avoid the setbacks that accompany the healing process and the potential loss of motivation.
Here’s to many safe and productive workouts!
