All of us want to stay healthy and feel our best. Regular exercise is an essential part of achieving and maintaining that goal. Injury during exercises is common and can make feeling our best more difficult to achieve. Here are some specific guidelines to ensure that we can greatly reduce the likelihood of damage and enjoy injury-free workouts.
Warm-up and cool-down
Budget 5-10 minutes for warm-up and another 5-10 for cool down. By properly warming up we prepare our bodies for handling more strenuous activities. A proper warm-up gradually increases the heart rate while loosening muscles and joints. Many different activities can be used for a warm-up, including riding an exercise bike, jumping rope or simply doing jogging movements like high knees or butt kickers. Try out some different warm-ups to find what feels best for you. A cool-down is equally important. It allows us to gradually return our heart rates to normal and increase joint mobility. Gentle stretching, foam rolling or simply a 5-minute post-workout walk are all excellent ways to cool down.
Pre-workout dynamic stretching
Integrating dynamic stretching into our pre-workout routine is a great way to optimize flexibility, increase blood flow and prepare the tendons and ligaments for exercise. Dynamic stretching is stretching while moving. Instead of holding a hold stretch, called static stretching, dynamic stretching involves moving in and out of stretches in a controlled and steady flow. Full range of motion jumping jacks are a kind of dynamic stretch. Here are three others you can try.
Squat to heel raise
The stretch works on the low back, hips and legs. Start by standing with feet wider than hips distance apart and toes turned out slightly. Engage your core, bend your knees and reach your hips back and lower down into a squat, bring your arms in front of your chest. Then, push up through your heels to stand up, while circling your arms out and back aside your hips. Once fully standing, press up onto your toes and lift your heels high. Lower back down with control and repeat 10 times.
Lateral hip openers
Work your hips, low back and core, starting by standing with feet shoulder-width apart and elbows bent at a 90-degree angle. Bend your left knee slightly for balance. Lift your right leg and bend the knee, circling it in, up and around. Place your right foot back in the starting position. Now move to the other side and bend your right knee slightly for balance. Lift your left leg and bend the knee, circling it in, up and around. Place your left foot back in the same spot and repeat 10 times. If you’re unsure about your balance, start by doing this near a wall.
Inchworm
For the core, shoulder and chest, start by standing with feet hip-width apart and arms by sides. Slowly, and with control, bend over and touch the floor in front of your feet with both hands. Bend the knees if you need to. Keeping your legs as straight as possible and core tight, walk hands forward into a plank position. Pause, then slowly reverse the movement to return to the start position and repeat 10 times.
Ease into it
When initiating a new exercise routine or program, begin with a gradual approach. Start slowly and progressively increase intensity, duration and frequency as your fitness abilities improve. Make sure to give yourself ample time to recover between sessions. It’s better to err on the side of caution and train again than to suffer an overuse injury and not train for weeks.
Cross-train for versatility
Diversifying your workout routine isn’t just a good idea–it’s a key strategy for avoiding overuse injuries. Repetitive muscle movements can lead to inflammatory problems like shin splints and tendinitis. By changing up exercises you pave the way for a healthier, more sustainable fitness journey. With cross-training, the main muscle groups that were recently exercised are allowed to fully recover. To cross-train, try mixing running, weight lifting, swimming, yoga or pilates and cycling on different days. Find a few exercises that you enjoy and blend them into a routine.
Rest, refuel and recover
Be sure to allocate sufficient time for rest between workouts. Rest days provide your body with the necessary time to reduce post workout inflammation and rebuild the natural micro-tearing that occurs during workouts. This micro-tearing is normal and an essential part of muscle growth. Rest minimizes the risk of injuries and allows space in your routine for things like gentle stretching and meditation.
Eat a healthy well-balanced diet that provides your body sufficient protein for muscle recovery. Try avoiding processed foods and eating a balance of vegetables and protein sources.
Listen to your body! You have an amazing nervous system with all types of sensors that tell you when it’s time to rest and when you can push forward.
Mike VanSooy D.C
Inner Gate Health & Wellness
michael@innergatepdx.com
InnerGatePDX.com