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Hitting the gym and achieving your fitness goals can be stimulating and delightful. That said, you cannot just enter the gym without proper preparation. This is because lack of adequate preparation can lead to you hurting yourself or even others
Hitting the gym and achieving your fitness goals can be stimulating and delightful. That said, you cannot just enter the gym without proper preparation. This is because lack of adequate preparation can lead to you hurting yourself or even others
1. Warmup Before Every Session
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Alt text: Group of people warming up
While this might seem common knowledge to most, several people ignore that they need to warm up or stretch out before embarking on any physical activity. Instead, they just start running or lifting weights without getting their bodies ready.
Even the fittest athletes need to warm up because their tendons and muscles would be tight at the time they want to start exercising.
Sadly, working out without warming up can lead to injuries if you overexert yourself or twist your joint wrongly.
Proper warmups can prevent injuries, and they do not require that much time or energy. A short walk, a little stretch, lifting small weights, or using resistance bands lightly are a few of the things you can do to warm up.
While this might seem common knowledge to most, several people ignore that they need to warm up or stretch out before embarking on any physical activity. Instead, they just start running or lifting weights without getting their bodies ready.
2. Take It Easy
If you are returning to exercising after a long time or are new to working out, it is best to start slowly. It is essential to keep in mind that your abilities when you worked out in the past and your current abilities are not the same. Hence, you might not be able to run for as long or lift as much as you used to.
This is why you need to start slow. It is a great idea to spend the first few days exercising at a lower intensity as you discover your capabilities. After this period, you can slowly increase your intensity as you exercise more. Doing this can stop you from starting too intense and hurting yourself, leading to days or weeks in recovery mode.
3. Hire a Personal Trainer
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Alt text: Athlete with their personal trainer
Workouts and training can get intense, and if you are a newbie, you can easily hurt yourself. Therefore, you should consider getting a personal trainer to help you out.
A personal trainer can help you exercise safely and create a plan using the goals that you set. With a qualified professional instructing you, you can avoid several bad habits that may hinder your progress or cause harm. In addition, proper routine and form can lead to better results and less time working out.
Furthermore, you do not have to use a personal trainer indefinitely. You can hire them for a few weeks or months until you get the hang of things and can exercise safely on your own.
While hiring a trainer will cost you money, it is better to spend it to ensure you are safe and getting the best results in the appropriate amount of time.
4. Visit Your Doctor Routinely
Before returning to the gym or starting a new program, you should strongly consider visiting your doctor or physician. They will order a fitness test to ensure you are fit for the exercises you want to perform.
Starting a new program or activity can take a toll on areas of your body like your cardiovascular system or joints. However, with tests like the six-minute treadmill test, you can figure out your limitations and work around them to reduce the risk of injury or harm.
5. Eat Before You Workout
Exercising means burning calories and losing fluids through sweat; hence, it only makes sense that you should fill yourself up so that you have something to burn as you work out.
Do not work out immediately after a meal, but eating two hours prior to a session is a good idea.
Also, ensure to eat the right foods to give you enough energy to carry you through the session. Consider beverages and snacks like protein shakes, protein bars, and others to keep your energy up.
6. Hydrate Properly
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Water is just as (if not more) important as food, and you need proper hydration to protect yourself.
When you exercise, you sweat and release water and electrolytes. These elements are vital for both body and brain function, so you need to make sure you drink plenty of water.
That said, drinking too much water can also lead to injury. With too much water in your system, you might feel bloated or have a funny feeling in your stomach, which could cause you to feel nauseous or distracted. Unfortunately, this distraction can cause lead to injury.
Water is just as (if not more) important as food, and you need proper hydration to protect yourself.
The best time to drink water (about 16oz) would be about two hours before you start exercising. During the session, you can take small sips to stay hydrated. Then, drink another 16oz within two hours after rounding up.
7. Take Rest Days Seriously
Working out with a goal can motivate you to achieve it faster. So, taking a day or two away from the gym might seem like a waste of time. However, it is not. Rest days are just as vital for your progress as training.
Rest days allow you to recover and your muscles to rebuild efficiently, thereby increasing growth and strength.
You should generally take a rest day after working out for three to five days straight. Nevertheless, you should listen to your body and take extra time off if you notice severe pain or soreness. You can even choose to rest if you are feeling worn out.
Taking an additional day off is better than training when you feel burnt out because it could lead to injury or worse.
Conclusion
Workouts and training can be fun, relaxing, and beneficial to your health, but you can only enjoy these benefits when you are safe.
Maintaining good and safe workout habits can help you avoid getting hurt and slowing down your progress.
Fortunately, most of the measures you require to be safe are easy to follow. However, if you believe you cannot do it alone, it is always wise to hire a personal trainer to help you out.
