Working out is important, but not as important as staying safe. After all, if you get injured then you won’t be able to work out in the future. The good news is there are ways to minimize any risk during your exercise routine, read on to find out what they are.
Prioritize safety
A long run through a deeply wooded area can be a challenging and fun workout, but if you haven’t got a buddy to run with or some ways for the folks at home to track your progress and location, you could get lost or injured or worse!
Similarly, a cheap gym membership can be tempting, especially when we are all feeling the pinch, but make sure to check that the equipment they offer is clean, and well maintained, and that they insist on inductions for all, so everyone knows how to use the equipment safely. If they don’t do these things, then finding a gym that does, even if it’s a little more expensive is well worth the investment in yourself.
Add in extra support
Often, when it comes to exercise there is a mindset that you need to do everything on your own, without support or you are ‘cheating’. Of course, this is rubbish because using support in many kinds of exercise from yoga to weightlifting can help in a variety of ways.
For example, if you are stretching, using a block or strap can help you get the correct form, something that you may struggle to do without such support. Similarly, if you choose to use a squat rack as you lift weights you will be able to reap the benefit of using much heavier plates, without risking injury.
Protect any area of weakness
Bodies are living, breathing things, and no two are alike. That means as well as all their strengths, there are also weaknesses and vulnerabilities that we need to be aware of when we are working out safely.
Indeed, rather than ignoring a problem, it is a much better idea to acknowledge it and put measures in place to support or work around it. One way of doing this is to use a product like these GO sleeves, as they can help support your joints and muscles. A compression sleeve can even help you minimize pain and maximize your performance as well.
Breath
It may sound like the most obvious advice out there, but you really need to breathe when you work out if you are going to stay safe. Unfortunately, it can feel almost instinctive to hold our breath at certain points in our workout, usually as we lift a heavy weight or set ourselves up to begin a strenuous activity.
Of course, this is bad news because to perform properly and reduce your risk of injury your muscles need to be well oxygenated, something that they won’t be if you are holding your breath. Your breath will also affect your posture and form and by holding it you can end up working against your body instead of with it, which is very bad for safety.
To that end be sure that you remember to breathe as you work out, even during the hard bits! You may even benefit from a particle such as yoga where the in and out breaths are an integral part of performing each movement correctly.