Last updated on March 9th, 2023 at 10:12 am
**This article is by SHJ Team Member Zak, AKA STARK**
When working out, you’re putting your body under pressure to a certain degree and so there’s always the risk that you may cause yourself some injury if you’re not careful.
Now that we’re approaching over 1,000 workout routines in our Workout Database ranging from celebrities to the worlds top performers and even our favorite superheroes, anime characters and more, I think it is time we rehashed some things about being safe while training.
Some of these things may come off as obvious to you (and if so that’s likely a good thing), but others may not, and to some other members of The SHJ Army (or new members) these could very well ALL be extremely useful tips.
With that being said, here are some helpful tips to avoid injury when working out.
1. Don’t Push Beyond Comfortable Limits
When it comes to feeling comfortable when working out, it’s good to know what your limits are and if you’re pushing them, only do it very slightly. The reason why muscles get strained is because they’ve not been worked on enough to take on that certain amount of pressure or weight. It’s important that you’re pushing yourself where possible but that you do this at a comfortable limit that’s not going to cause too much strain on your body. The more damage you do to it, the more it could result in a permanent state.
Know what your body can take and have patience. There are going to be days where you go up a weight and days where your body might not be in the right place to workout as usual. We all have our off days and that’s completely normal.
2. Learn Proper Techniques
It’s essential to try and learn proper techniques when it comes to working out. Any sport or exercise is done in a way that protects the body and avoids the danger of injuring oneself. There are lots of people out there that will teach you the wrong way of doing something, so it’s important you find the people with the right knowledge who’ll be able to guide you through the proper techniques of doing that exercise or type of sport. Whatever it is, it’s always good to make sure you’re doing it right.
If you’re struggling with form or technique, then just take a look online and see what the experts say.
3. Buy The Right Fitness Attire
Fitness attire can really help with motivating you to work out. Not only does it help motivate you, but it also protects you. From salomon trainers that offer ankle and foot support, to sports bras that keep everything in place, whilst still making you feel comfortable. There’s nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable in your workout gear or experiencing pain in what you’re wearing when working out. You should never cheap out on anything but never your health and wellbeing.
4. Stretch & Take Rest Days
The importance of stretching before and after workouts is essential because if you don’t do this, then you could be doing damage to your joints. It’s good to get your body warmed up so that when you do the workouts, you’re less likely to feel the aches the following day. Rest days are also essential when working out and these rest days can help your body to recover, particularly after a hard session. Never deny yourself a rest day or two, it’s important to reduce the injury when working out.
Avoiding injury when working out is going to make fitness a lot easier for you and less of a pain in the neck (quite literally). Use these tips to avoid injuries when working out.
5. Don’t Work Through the Pain
If you are feeling pain, make sure you don’t work on it otherwise you’ll just make it worse. I know this sounds pretty obvious, but I’ve come across a lot of people (including me) who have worked through something that hurt thinking it wasn’t that bad, only to end up making it a lot worse than it was had I just rested it.
6. Massage Your Muscles
When you use your muscles especially during a workout, your muscles actually get tense. That’s why it’s a good idea to always stretch after your exercise so you can release that tightness.
However, you can even take things to the next level by actually massaging your muscles which can provide a deeper tension release to your muscles. A lot of athletes regularly receive sports massages.
There are many different ways to massage your muscles. You can use your hands, a foam roller, a massage gun, and you can book sports massage with your physical therapist. I personally like to use the massage gun while I’m on the computer, just like I’m doing now while typing with one hand.Â
7. Have An Epsom Salt Bath
Have you ever had muscle cramps? Well if you have then a bath in Epsom salt or even supplementing with magnesium can help. According to MedicalNewToday, Epsom salt baths may help with athlete’s foot, reducing stress, ease pain for people with arthritis, reduce swelling, stiffness, and pain.
Epsom salt baths allow you to absorb magnesium through your skin and release the tension built up in your muscles. Don’t forget to make it a warm bath and not cold.
As an additional layer of muscle cramp prevention, you can even supplement daily with magnesium or eat foods high in magnesium such as almonds, pumpkin seeds, banana, salmon, and spinach.
8. Drink Plenty of Fluids
Drinking water or a sports drink before and after your workout will help provide you with some energy and prevent muscle cramps. Trust me the last thing you need is getting a cramp in the middle of an exercise and dropping the equipment (or yourself if you’re doing calisthenics).
I remember my cousin was once swimming and got a cramp on one of his arms midway. He had to swim out with one arm to shore and rest until the cramp went away.
But a word of warning, don’t drink too much water before the workout otherwise you’ll have a belly full of water jumping up and down your stomach during exercise. According to Men’s Health, a good rule of thumb is to drink 8oz of water 30 minutes before exercise and then 16oz within the first 30 minutes after your workout.
Ensuring you are well hydrated by drinking 2-3 liters of water a day is part of our daily quests as well.Â
9. Make Sure Your Workout Space is Safe
You’ve probably seen those videos of people tripping over stuff or dropping equipment on themselves. Not a pretty sight, but it can happen if you’re working out in a messy room that has your kid’s hot wheel or lego. If you’re working out from home (which you most likely are due to the pandemic) then make sure your space is clear of any foreign objects.
Safety first!
10. See a Physical Therapist
If you ever do feel something is wrong then see a physical therapist. Sometimes you could have muscle weaknesses in certain areas which is causing the pain in particular areas or maybe you’re doing something wrong.
Whatever the issue is, it’s better to be safe and visit the physical therapist to see if there are any problems that need to be addressed urgently. In most cases, if the physical therapist finds the reason behind your pain, they will give you a set of exercises to relieve the pain and improve your situation and possibly even improve your posture if you have issues with that.
So there you have it guys. 10 ways to avoid injuring yourself during exercise especially since most of us are working out at home surrounded by all the toys or God forbid, a tennis ball on the floor.
Anyways stay safe.
#####
Zak Mustapha
The Guy Who Drinks Tea
SHJ Team Member STARK
References:
https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19521706/drink-water-before-workout/
https://www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/exercise-fitness/hydration-exercise
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321627
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles-interests/fitness/article/top-10-tips-for-avoiding-sports-injuries/
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