Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Safety Tips For Fitness Buffs

By Kat Wendersen

There are those who believe that for workouts to really work, pain is absolutely necessary. However, while a certain amount of discomfort is normal, especially when you're going through a completely new exercise regimen, it is important to pay attention to pain. This is because of the fact that pain is a means for the body to signal that something is going wrong.

While a good workout can test the limits of your body, working out is not supposed to damage your muscles or your body parts. As your muscles get more frequently exposed to activity, small tears in the muscles, lactic acid, and other changes in the body can make the body much stronger.

However, if you experience other sorts of pain, such as chronic back pain, neck injuries, sore joints, and others, then you should consult with a trainer. This is because the pain may result from the exercise techniques not being performed as they should. The worse part may be that you may have a medical condition that you are not aware of.

Begin any exercise routine by slowly progressing from a low level of activity to a higher level of activity. How slow the process of progressing in terms of difficulty in routine depends on the person. Muscles can develop better in the process. It is important to warm-up first before a routine as this can help keep the muscles from getting ripped. Most muscle injuries result from the muscles contracting from the cold then being yanked apart during rigorous exercise.

Warming up should take at least a quarter of an hour, and should include some jogging place to warm up the heart and the lungs. It should also include slow stretching exercises, in order to lubricate the joints and ready the muscles for strenuous activities. Warm-ups that is too quick than necessary may not be as effective in keeping the body from being strained unnecessarily.

Don't let inexperienced trainers, or so-called 'friends' embarrass you into believing you have to get out and run five miles two weeks after an injury, surgery or other debilitating condition. Physical therapy and exercise sometimes requires that you work against discomfort, but you don't leap over tall buildings the first day out.

Every person committed to fitness will want to push him or herself to achieve excellence. But an attitude that leads to overdoing it is counter-productive to your goal. You're working to improve or maximize health and overall body tone and strength - not proving you are 'mentally tough'.

Get expert advice before doing any new routine or exercise. This is to get the correct form and technique. Many injuries arise from improper warm up and doing the exercise incorrectly. Do not be afraid to ask help from an expert. If you do not know the proper use of a certain machine, do not be afraid to ask. The experts are there precisely for this reason -- to teach proper technique and show you how to use exercise machines correctly.

Be aware of your environment while you go through your routine. It's easy to get into a rhythm, get concentrated on your workout and end up crashing into a wall or a nearby person. Jogging especially requires that you pay attention to the surface you run on and the people and cars around you. No shoe in existence will keep you from slipping on a muddy patch. Only awareness and good reflexes can help.

Pace yourself when you workout; start with the basics and easy routines, slowly progressing to the more advanced and complex ones. This should keep you away from injuries. Many exercise buffs find themselves quitting their workouts because of injuries. You do not want this to happen. Doing the exercises slowly, pacing yourself, and working up on the difficulty levels will ensure a safe and productive workout regimen for you.

Exercise common sense in doing your exercises. - 15438

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