We work out to improve our health. Whether it is for mental wellbeing, a better body, or simply because we adore that rush. It's easy to get caught up in the adrenaline of pushing yourself further than before, but are you aware of some of the risks that can lurk around exercise and the gym?
Whether you're new to getting in shape, or a pro, we'll share some of our top gym safety tips.
- Always get your yearly health check-up no matter what. Medical issues can sneak up on active, healthy people too so don't skip the yearly check-up. Most reputable gyms and exercise programs will request or require that you get one to ensure you don't have a health problem before starting. This is to ensure that the workout or program you are doing won't make any conditions you may have worse.
- Never skip the warm-up or the cool down. Stopping your workout abruptly causes your blood pressure to rapidly drop, which is why some people feel light-headed after skipping a cool down. Warming up dilates your blood vessels to ensure your muscles are well supplied with oxygen throughout your activity. This helps reduce the overall stress to your heart.
- Slow and steady. Gradual increases equal healthier gains. A great body can't be built in a single day and doing too much too fast is a sharp rise in the probability of causing yourself an injury.
- Use good techniques. How you do the workout, exercise, or activity is critically important for getting the best results and ensuring you don't injure yourself. Whether you are lifting weights, running on the treadmill, or doing yoga—if your posture or form is wrong, you will get aches, pains, and even overuse injuries. Work on your core stability, positioning, and posture to prevent potential harm.
- Keep the gym, whether it is yours or not clean and neat. You don't want you or someone else tripping over a towel laying around.
- Double check pins and collars are used properly on weight machines and barbells before you use them.
- Have spotters and workout partners if possible. Most gyms require if you're lifting weights to have a spotter and working out alone in a gym may not be the best idea. If possible, always have a spotter or a workout partner with you.
While you are working on your body, make sure you're keeping safe with these important gym safety tips!
