It is undeniable that a regular exercise routine at your home or local gym can help improve your overall health, boost your immunity as well as keep you alert. Nonetheless, weight training can lead to a number of unpleasant things if done carelessly such as injuries and trauma. So, in order to avoid such setbacks, you need to first understand some of the common types of injuries that occur during workouts which include rotator calf injuries, back pain, knee injuries, shoulder injuries and internal muscle tear among others. All said and done, some of the safe techniques that you need to adopt to avoid injury include:
Always warm up before commencing your gym workout
Keep in mind that most of your body muscles are often at rest in your normal life and so abrupt movements against weight resistance can bring about serious injury. It is therefore much recommended that you put strain on your muscles in a gradual manner. Generally, muscles also need to be geared up for the stress that normally comes with increased heart rate plus blood circulation. By warming up you energize them and make them more flexible. Additionally, your blood transports nutrients and oxygen to them thus preparing them for the strains to come.
You can warm up in various ways. For instance, you can run on an elliptical runner or treadmill for 5-10 minutes, or alternatively you can choose to do simple aerobic exercises like running-on-the-spot, swinging your arms in circles or jumping. You can also add some stretching exercises that focus on all the major body muscles during your warm-up routine.
Maintain proper technique
Strength training often carries a greater risk of injury, thereby if you do not have a personal trainer to keep an eye on your workout progress you need to strive hard to learn the correct technique. To begin with, when performing squats or lunges, your knee joints shouldn’t go beyond a 90-degree angle. Likewise, remember not to squat too low and let your feet be positioned in such a way that they are directly below your knees and remember do not lean forward.
In case you’re doing dumbbell exercises, don’t make sudden or any jerky movements which will hurt your shoulder joints or elbow. Similarly, avoid straightening your arms fully instead, be sure to maintain a small angle at your elbow joints. Lastly, in case you feel pain at any stage of your training, do not continue to load since this may only lead to severe injuries. Embracing proper training techniques helps you avoid unnecessary set-backs, which can interfere with your muscle-building efforts.
Comfortable training clothes is a must-have at all times
Look for shoes and clothing that fit comfortably before you even think of hitting the gym. If jumping or running is going to be part of your physical training, then you should look for shoes that have good arch support as well as rounded toe plus heel pads. The shoes should equally be well ventilated.
The simple rules above if stuck to then you are bound to enjoy injury-free workouts. For an effective workout, check if your home or local gym has adjustable dumbbells and weight benches.