How to have a safe workout

It’s New Year again and most of us feel inspired to start a healthy lifestyle and get back into shape after the Holiday feast.  It’s good to be health conscious; however, for a beginner, not knowing how to exercise properly will likely result to injury.

A large amount of sport and work out related injuries occur yearly.  Most people exercise aggressively and abruptly and strain their muscles.  Wear and tear are usually difficult to diagnose in bones and tendons.  

It is also common for beginners to use incorrect techniques during training.

Thus, it is well advised that we start slow and listen to our body.  It’s important to recognize and follow your body’s limits.  Your program should slowly build your strength and stamina.

Use light to moderate intensity workouts with emphasis on more repetitions and target larger muscle groups first.  This way, you primarily achieve form and balance.

Dr. Shari Liberman, a hand and upper extremity specialist at Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine reports an increase in wrist sprains and other hand injuries during January.

 Dr Liberman advises that we keep our wrist straight when lifting weights.  She suggests that working with a personal trainer is beneficial for beginners in order to develop good form for wrists and back when weight lifting. 

There are also several routines that you can mix and interchange.  Rotating routines can prevent overuse injuries and increase general health by developing different muscle groups.

Being flexible also limits overuse injuries.  Stretching after every workout does this. 

Let your body renew and repair itself by proper amount of rest.  Pain is a sign to slow down or stop.  By listening to your body, you’ll prevent injuries in the end.