How to Stay Safe When Exercising

The word ‘exercise’ invokes various thoughts from everyone, but usually those of health and wellness. Did you know that exercising can be dangerous? In some cases it can be due to an existing medical problem, or danger can be found in the way you are exercising, perhaps with little to no official training or instruction. Whether you run in your neighborhood on your own, work out in a gym, or hike and bike, here are a few simple tips to keeping you safe and your body injury-free:
Check with your doctor before starting any diet/exercise regimen. We’ve all heard this, but how many of us have actually done it? If you are not in regular contact with your doctor or can’t even remember when your last physical was, it’s time to get one! You should have blood drawn at your physical which can monitor your cholesterol, your thyroid, blood cell count, etc. Even if you haven’t had this done in the past, it’s important to have a benchmark to compare to later. Take the time to visit your doctor; it’s worth it!
No matter what exercise you participate in, always stretch before starting. Even better, take a few moments before you even get out of bed in the morning to stretch! Not just the ‘Folgers commercial arms over the head stretch’, but take a few minutes to pull your legs up to your chest, stretch your back out, do a few neck rolls, and touch your toes a few times once you are out of bed. It’s amazing how stiff you can feel from sleeping in the same position all night; sometimes when you get the best nights’ sleep, you’ll find your muscles are tight the next morning. Starting your day off right, feeling good, is a best practice whether you exercise or not!

If you work out at a gym and opt to use the weight machines, DO make an appointment with one of the trainers to go through each machine with you. Many times there are plenty of people on staff where an appointment may not be necessary, but someone can go around with you and show you the different settings you may not even be aware of. Something as ‘small’ as not adjusting the seat to your own height will completely change how the exercise is done, most likely causing you frustration and possible injury. Also, a trainer can give you an idea of how heavy to start off, or ‘where you should be’; more weight does NOT always yield better results and will only cause you to be sore and more likely to quit! Up your reps before you increase the weight you’re lifting and be sure to see a gym staffer with any questions.
Running is great and provides an excellent outlet after a rough day at work, while allowing you to be ‘out and about’ your local area. Again, the biggest thing is to stretch a good 10 minutes prior to your run, and make sure you have properly fitting running shoes on. Running doesn’t just require ‘sneakers’; there are too many to choose from and if you think it will be no different to run in tennis shoes or walking shoes, think again. They are not meant for running; you need a strong, yet flexible sole with an appropriate amount of cushion and shock absorption. Be sure when you shop for sneakers, you tell the salesperson you are specifically looking for running shoes since some are even styled to have the look but not the benefits.
If you choose to enjoy the outdoors, whether running or hiking in the woods, wear reflective, light colored clothing. Out on the road, you want to be seen, and if you’re in the woods, the last thing you want is to be mistaken for a deer on a beautiful fall day. Even an orange bandana or the like will help. Running wooded trails makes for a nice relaxing activity, but I can absolutely say from my own experience, watch out for any roots exposed on the trail! This goes for hiking too; many a hiker has slipped on a wet root on the decline only to find themselves immediately knocked to the ground before they knew what hit them. Don’t let this be you; the potential to fall and hit a rock, or twist an ankle is too great. Take it slow on the decline, no matter what the weather, and keep it at a steady pace going up, with rest stops along the way.

Lastly, I can’t stress enough the importance of drinking plenty of water while exercising; your body is being depleted of important electrolytes and is losing water like crazy! Hydrate those cells by keeping a water bottle on hand and drink plenty of water once you’re home as well.
Taking the time to give a few simple considerations some thought before exercising will keep you safe, injury-free and motivated when you see the results of all your hard work!