Day 13: Help Preventing Injuries

One of the most devastating things that can happen to someone that is in the midst of turning their life around is a exercise related injury. Not only can it significantly hinder or even halt your exercise regimen but it can alter the way a person relates to exercise in a very negative manner. Therefore, doing what you can to prevent injuries should be a top priority.

In my mind, proper technique is the most important thing in preventing injuries. Here is where a personal trainer is worth their weight in gold. They can watch your technique and make subtle improvements that can help to prevent catastrophic injuries. Unfortunately, each exercise has its proper technique so I can not create an exhaustive list on this blog about how to perform each exercise. However, here are some tips on how to help with this issue:

• When starting out, use light weights to assure your technique is spot on before moving to heavier weights. 
• Do not be ashamed to check yourself out in the mirror or ask someone to watch you to make sure your technique is correct.
• Practicing technique regularly will help you to perform the correct technique even when you aren't thinking about it. After a while muscle memory tends to take over. Just make sure your muscles remember the proper technique. 

Next, you should always include a warm-up and cool-down in your exercise. Warm-up helps to warm up all your tissues, redistribute blood to where it needs to be, and essentially gives your body a heads up to let it know what's coming. That way it can prepare for the stresses you are about to put on it. A cool-down can help with soreness as well as preventing blood pooling which can cause you to faint. Not only that but if you have heart issues it can even help to protect your heart.

Preventing injuries is definitely an area that you should research more on your own and if you are working with a professional, an area in which you should ask a lot of questions. Thanks for reading!