There are individuals who, because of their eagerness to attain a body physique that is well sculpted and chiselled to the core, push themselves to achieve even the impossible. While this is admirable, showing what the human spirit can actually do to turn dreams into realities, the body may not at all be too willing to participate in what the mind has to say. And while the idea of having a body that is admired by everyone with the prospect of landing on the covers of the world’s leading fitness and exercise magazines is very tempting indeed, getting injured in the process and getting you hospitalized and undergo extensive treatments is clearly not a good way to start the year.
Here are some of the most common mistakes individuals make when they go to the gym and workout resulting in a variety of musculoskeletal and sometimes even neuromuscular injuries. Knowledge of these should enable you to be extra cautious in your approach to working out.
Absence of warm up
Warming up is very crucial in preparing your muscles and joints for the workout ahead. For intense muscle workouts, you need to slowly warm up those muscles of yours as well as get the lubrication in your joints fully oiled up. Consider waking up to the sound of your alarm clock. Do you immediately get up and rush to the bathroom to have your shower, chow down on your toast and coffee, and run to work? Chances are you will still be stretching and doing some ‘preliminaries’ even before you really ‘start’ your day. The same thing with your body. Before the main intensive and truly earth-shattering energy-draining workout, you need to prepare the muscles and your body. So try to jog, get on the treadmill, try to get 30 minutes of swimming, or even ride the stationary bike.
Forgetting to stretch
Stretching is one critical component of warming up. The point is you warm up first before you stretch. This is where most people get it wrong. They stretch first before warming up. The whole idea, according to fitness experts is to warm up those muscles, get them metabolically active, and have them loosen up before you can start stretching them to complete their readiness for the intensive work out ahead. Additionally, it is recommended that stretching exercises be integrated in each routine, preferably in between sets. This is intended to promote enhanced blood circulation to the muscles and increase the elasticity of the muscle fascia; that thin film of tissue that encases several muscle groups. This will greatly reduce muscle soreness which is often seen a few days later.
Incorrect technique
One of the most common mistakes that individuals make in exercising is the inappropriate or incorrect techniques of performing the exercise routine. It is important to understand that the muscles, joints, and bones of the body follow a very strict and often rigid plane of movement. Anything that is well beyond this plane or axis of mobility can lead to injuries. Muscles, while they are naturally flexible with the unique ability to stretch (read contract and relax), can only do so up to a certain point. Consider a rubber band which you try to extend as far as it can. Once it reaches its limits, pulling it further will snap the rubber band. The same is true with the muscles of the body. Use the wrong technique and you can end up with a torn muscle.
Overtraining
Is there such a thing as overtraining? As it turns out, there is. The body can only do so much. And while you can certainly push your body well beyond its limitations, you do have to understand its ramifications. Overtraining has been show to sap energy – your body’s stores of glycogen and ATP get severely depleted. This in turn can lead to a variety of other problems which can adversely affect your efforts to develop your muscles. It is thus recommended that workout sessions be performed not more than 4 times a week. This should allow your body enough time to recuperate in between workout sessions.
Not cooling down
As important as warming up, cooling down after an intense workout is needed to gradually return your muscles and your body to its normal pre-workout state. You just don’t sit immediately right after doing an intense workout routine. Lest you want your body to continue in its hypermetabolic state, you need to help your body regulate its metabolic processes to a much slowly steadier pace.
Avoiding these mistakes is key to avoiding workout injuries. This way, you can reap the full benefits of a total exercise workout program.
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Author: Devin Werts
Devin works on behalf of the Rosedale Wellness Centre which was established in 1989. They’re a wellness centre and chiropractic in Downtown Toronto. Today they have become one of Canada’s leaders in providing quality care and innovative wellness programs for the community. For more information visit their website.
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