5 replies to this topic

[bishoujo]

Over-exercising can increase the risk of injury. Here are ways on how you can avoid this.

Eat up
Without proper nutrition, you lose concentration and tire easily. Carbohydrates like bread are a good source of fuel for exercise. Remember to eat again within two hours of finishing your workout.

Rest
When we exert our bodies, we actually suffer from microscopic injuries, which explain why we get body aches after a heavy workout. Train different muscle groups on different days, factoring rest in between for healing to take place.

Proper Technique
If you are learning a new sport, picking up the correct technique from qualified coaches will go a long way in avoiding injury.

Pace yourself
Doing too much, too soon, can put you at risk of injuries. Gradually build up speed, distance or weight to build stamina at the correct pace.

Use Proper equipment
Using old or faulty equipment can be dangerous.

Build the foundation
Basic fitness includes cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, core stability and strength. Build your foundation before starting technical or strenuous sports.

Health screening
Although largely the domain of professional sports, medical tests are a good way to rule out life threatening conditions such as cardiac arrest.

Suitable Environment
Don’t exercise during thunderstorms or, if you have asthma, during the haze. Choice of terrain is important. For example, if you are recovering from a sprained ankle, don’t run cross-country in a hilly area.

Warm up
Flexibility is important for the prevention of muscle strains and pulls. Remember to warm up and cool down during every exercise session.

Stay hydrated
Since water is lost in the form of sweat during exercise, it is vital to stay hydrated. A rule of thumb is to drink water for workouts less than an hour long and isotonic drinks (essentially water and sugar) for exercise beyond an hour.

[wingman23]

Thats really good advice, and i know from my younger days when i would body train, then without much rest i would do a few mile run, then not long after i would do a few hours cycle ride, this went on for some time. It soon caught up with me though and soon i couldnt eat enough to keep up with the excersice i was doing, and soon started to have joint pains in my knee's. As soon as i was forced to rest up for a few weeks my body soon recovered and that told me that i was doing too much. any arobic excersice can be addictive though, something to do with the hormones it releases. Like everything else in life it seems. Good in moderation

[iGuest]

I NEED HELP PRONTO!Make Your Exercise Injury-free

Hi! I'm a 21yr old male that hasn't worked-out in approx 2-3yrs. However, I've been able to stay in shape w/o gaining alot of excess fat or bodyweight. I'm writing b/c for the past 2wks I've been trying to get even more in shape and ready for basic training b/c I've recently enlisted into the Marines and is set to leave on April 14. I've recently taken and IST (Intial Strength Test) that revealed that I am able to pass all portions required for enlistment except the run, yet due to the scores for all other portions I was able to gain a waiver for the run. I was advised that although the waiver was approved I would still need to pass all required aspects by the end of my second week of training. I'm hoping that you'll be able to give me some type of motivation and workout schedule that I can use until I leave that will my running from a 3miles in 32min to 3miles in 25min as required. Please write back with all available help as possible.

Travis J. Brookins

Future Marine

-reply by Travis

 

[zakaluka]

I'd say warm-up is the most important part of the exercise routine. Without it, even conditioned athletes can experience injuries and sprains. However, cool-downs are almost as important as warm-ups. These 2 sets of stretches don't have to take very long. Just need to make sure that you stretch out all the major muscle groups (and if you're doing a compound activity like swimming or running, you will be using all of them). The rest of the suggestions (diet, environment, etc.) I would consider secondary to these 2 items. By taking 10 minutes (5 for warm-up, 5 for cool-down), you will reduce the risk of injury by over 50% (my own experience having worked out with many groups on many routines (aerobics, weight lifting, toning, etc.)).

Travis: I was going to reply to you, but I realize that it's already the 14th. Good luck at USMC boot camp!

Regards,

z.

Edited by zakaluka, 15 April 2009 - 04:12 AM.

[rpgsearcherz]

About water...Do not drink too much! If you don't drink enough water you will obviously get dehydrated, but if you drink too much you can essentially drown yourself in it. That's a pretty long-shot but it's happened in the past. Many people end up making themselves sick by drinking too much and unbalancing their electrolytes though..

[contactskn]

Really really good advise it is. Thanks for such an informative advise it will be really usefull for many.