With more of us being forced to spend the majority of our time indoors, you might be thinking about starting an exercise regime for the first time. It’s a good way to stay fit and protect your mental health when you’re indoors, as well as being good, obviously, for your physical health too.
However, when you’re new to exercising, there is a risk that you could hurt yourself. Want to get all of the benefits of exercise without any of the risks? Check out my guide to staying safe when exercising as a beginner…
Pay attention to your body
Pain is the body’s way of telling you when you’ve gone too far and that it’s reached its limit. It’s crucial to pay attention to the areas of your body that feel persistent soreness or tenderness, especially during or after strenuous exercise. Pick up some KT tape, and give your joints some extra support. Help relieve some of the pain if you’re experiencing soreness after your workout, but don’t forget to seek medical assistance if the pain persists longer than a day.
Your body wants you to be safe and well, which is why it sends out pain signals if you’re doing something that could hurt you. You may be able to get an effective knee replacement procedure, but wouldn’t it be more prudent to not have to worry about that for many years to come? Listen to your body, take heed of the pain and if something doesn’t feel right stop doing it and, if necessary, seek medical attention.
Always warm-up and cool down
Again, there are muscle rubs and massages that can help you with a pulled muscle, but wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t have to bother? Warming up before, and cooling down after, exercise helps to stretch your muscles so that they are limber, ready for action, and less likely to be hurt when you start running, squatting or whatever it is you’ve decided to do to get fit.
Take it slow
It can be tempting to rush in and work at your maximum pace right from the off, but if you want to avoid an exercise injury, it’s far better to start off slowly, increasing pace or intensity little by little over the course of weeks and months. Ideally, you should also fit at least one rest day where you do no real exercise into each week. You can still walk, do housework, etc., but you should avoid doing anything with any great intensity during your rest day.
Switch it up
You’re more likely to injure yourself if you do the exact same exercise day in and day out because the same muscles will be being worked each day. So, instead of running around the garden every day, switch things up with yoga, kettlebells, skipping or press-ups too.
Drink plenty of water
When you exercise, you sweat more, which means you are more likely to get dehydrated. This can lead to headaches, weakness and dizziness, which can lead to falls. That’s why you need to make sure you’re drinking enough water before and during exercise. Aim for at least 2 litres a day and you should be fine.
Perfect your technique
It might be more difficult if you’re exercising at home, but trying to ensure that you execute your exercises using the proper technique will go a long way to keeping you safe from injury. There are lots of instructional videos online, so chances are you should be able to find the information you need to exercise the right way.
Enjoy getting fit and healthy!
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Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
