Keep Your Workout Safe

Definitely! You need to exercise regularly to stay healthy, but you also need to keep your workout safe. Too often people decide they’re going to start working out, but don’t consider the fact that they haven’t lifted anything heavier than a remote for years or haven’t run any farther than to the kitchen. It doesn’t take long before they have an injury that takes months to heal or ache so bad they never return to the gym. For those working with a personal trainer, the trainer has your back. They create programs designed for your fitness level and guide you every step of the way.

Always check with your health care professional first.

There are very few health conditions that don’t benefit from the right type of exercise, so most likely your health care professional will encourage you. If you have any type of condition that might require modifying and exercise or taking special precautions, it’s best to have the help of a personal trainer to guide you. Always make sure you share your health concerns with the trainer, so he or she can adjust the program to your needs. For instance, having back problems might require modifying some of the exercises so the problem isn’t exacerbated.

Start slowly.

Yes! You do want to push yourself, but not right away. You need to start slowly and gradually increase your activity. I can’t tell you how many clients I have seen that come to me after several workout failures. They often hit the gym hard the first day, because it felt good to be moving again, they were determined to get fit in one day and they didn’t feel any pain. By the next day, everything was sore and the excitement wore off. Within a week, all plans were just past ideas. Save the vigorous exercise for later, once you’re in better shape.

Vary your exercise.

Not only will varying your exercises help you work a variety of muscle groups and avoid plateauing. It also helps prevent injury. If you’re always doing one type of exercise and maybe even overdoing it, you run the risk of stress fractures and injuries that come from overworking muscles and tendons. If jogging is your love and you do too much, shin splints, knee problems, ankle and foot problems may become part of your life. Mix it up and get all types of exercise for a total body workout.

• Make sure you know how to do the exercise correctly. Doing an exercise wrong can cause injury or minimize the benefit of the exercise. Trainers can help you learn the right way to do each movement.
• Stretch before and after exercising. You need a warmup exercise, even before you stretch and cool down period.
• Stay hydrated. Take a bottle of water with you to the gym or along with you as you run. Staying hydrated, particularly in warm weather should be a number one priority.
• Avoid exercising outside when it’s too hot. You run the risk of heat stroke, overheating and dehydration. On hot days either exercise indoors where it’s air-conditioned or early in the morning or in the evening.