We’ve all been there – starting our fitness journey for the first time or returning to it after some time off. Our bodies are very adaptable to the demands we place on them.
Here are my top injury avoidance tips for beginners or those getting back into shape.
- Life will sometimes get in your way and cause you to lose your workout routine. Even if you want to pick up where you left off, your body may not agree with your mind. It’s crucial to put your ego aside and get back into your routine gradually (especially if you were lifting heavy and took more than 2 weeks off.
- Don’t try to make up for lost time. For example, you weren’t able to train last week, so you plan to do a longer, more intense workout this week to compensate. This can lead to injury if done regularly. Training at a much higher intensity than you’re used to will likely lead to muscle soreness, which can prevent you from training altogether and the whole thing will then become a vicious cycle.
- Never underestimate the power of a good warm-up, especially if you plan to lift heavy weights. Mobility restrictions in the joints can lead to compensations during compound movements and likely lead to injury. For example, if you plan to do heavy squats, make sure your glutes and quads are warmed up, you have adequate core control/stability, and hip and ankle mobility.
- Exercises involving jumps and high impacts (plyometric exercises) should be added gradually to your routine. Make sure that the movements are well controlled and that you can land safely. Due to the high impact nature of these exercises, it is important to have proper form (and be properly warmed up) to avoid injury.
- If you ever have pain doing a certain exercise, or if you are not sure of the right technique to adopt, contact one of our kinesiologists!