How To Prevent Injury When Working Out

Whether a workout warrior or a fitness novice, if there is one thing everyone has in common it is the sentiment that getting injured sucks. An injury can hamper your training and set you back when aiming toward your fitness goals. It can prevent you from undertaking the sport or hobby that you love and relegate you to the sidelines. Nobody wants to sustain an injury, it is painful and inconvenient. So, to help you protect yourself and keep injuries at bay when working out, here are some top tips to help you prevent injury when working out.

Always warm-up and cool down

Every workout should always begin with a warm-up and end with a cool down. A warm-up is essential because it helps to get your body ready for exercise. It will warm up and loosen your muscles and joints as well as slowly increase your heart rate. Your warm-up should not be intense but just enough to transition you and your muscles from cold to warm. Failure to do so will result in an injury, be it a sprain, strain, or tear.

At the end of every workout, you should set aside some time to cool down. This will help bring your heart rate back down to normal levels.

Think about the exercise you undertake

Firstly, if you have any health conditions you should always talk with your healthcare provider before undertaking any new forms of exercise. Similarly, if you have not been active for a period of time you may want to consider the intensity with which you exercise. It might be advisable to start with a low-intensity exercise to help ease your back into your fitness journey.

If you are looking for low-impact exercises to help reduce the stress and strain on your joints then consider exercises such as walking, swimming, spinning, or golf. These types of exercises are less likely to cause injury than some high-impact activities such as running.

Contact sports such as soccer, football, and basketball may render you more prone to injury.

Alternatively, a novel type of exercise that is thought to be conducive to preventing exercise-induced injury is hot workouts, such as those offered by HOTWORX. Hot workouts such as hot yoga, hot cycling, or hot rowing all take place at high temperatures, meaning your muscles are naturally warmer, more flexible and supple, and less likely to sustain an injury.

Learn good form

Depending on the type of exercise you undertake, having good form is essential when it comes to injury prevention. This is particularly relevant if you are embarking on any form of strength training, HIIT workouts, or resistance training. You should take some time to learn the basics when it comes to forming, such as landing safely when jumping or lifting correctly to avoid strain and injury. Perhaps consider undergoing a few personal training sessions or signing up for some group classes if you are unsure of how to exercise with proper form.