Here’s a hard truth: soreness and discomfort are good signs that you’re progressing on your fitness journey.
Muscle soreness after a workout indicates that you have pushed your limits and are building strength. However, working yourself too hard during exercise can cause pain beyond healthy soreness.
Exercise injuries are a possibility, especially if you are new to working out, but you can prevent injury by sticking to a mindful exercise routine under the proper guidance.
If you want to know how to avoid injury while working out, we have your back.
Read on to learn the best ways to prevent exercise injuries and how to notice signs of potential injuries before they happen!
Why Do Exercise Injuries Happen During Regular Workouts?
Working out is a great way to build muscle and burn body fat, but you need to be aware of the potential injury risk factors at the gym.
Rushing into an exercise routine and working out without a plan can lead to an injury that keeps you from improving for weeks or months at a time.
Here are some typical mistakes people make that lead to injury:
- Not following the correct technique
- Overtraining or spending too much time in the gym
- Trying to increase exercise too quickly
- Overlooking previous injuries
- Wearing improper clothing or equipment
Starting your exercise journey with a trusted fitness coach is an outstanding way to avoid an ineffective routine that may lead to injury.
They will help you determine your fitness level and build a routine that enables you to achieve steady progression.
Symptoms of Common Exercise Injuries
Understanding the potential symptoms of exercise injuries is crucial to determining whether you have sustained an injury or are only experiencing post-workout soreness.
Some common exercise injury symptoms include:
- Sharp pains in your joints or muscles
- Inability to place weight on a leg or foot
- Significant swelling or bruising after exercise
- Failure to move a joint normally
Use the RICE Technique — Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate — if you notice any of these symptoms during or after a workout. If the symptoms persist for more than a few days, get in touch with your doctor.
How to Avoid Injury While Working Out
Since injuries are possible during exercise, you may be thinking that it’s best to avoid working out altogether.
However, there’s good news — it’s possible to avoid exercise injuries by following a few basic guidelines. Here is what you can do to prevent injury in your workout routine.
Make Sure You Are Properly Warmed Up
Warming up before strenuous exercise is one of the most important things you can do before a workout.
Your warm-up could look like walking before going for a run, lifting lighter weights for a few reps before lifting heavy weights, or including a stretching routine before you hit the gym.
Warming up will lengthen your muscles and prepare them for more strenuous activity. The best warm-up routine is one that focuses on the muscles you are about to use during your workout.
Vary Your Movements Between Sets
Performing the same movement over and over again — or repetitive strain — is an easy way to cause excess stress on your joints.
You can prevent repetitive strain injuries by mixing up your workout routine.
Rather than doing the same weightlifting routine or running for miles day in and day out, add high-intensity interval training on some days or look for different movements using the same muscle groups.
Don’t Try to Progress Too Quickly
The best workout plans revolve around incremental gains. Self-improvement happens over time, not overnight.
Rather than trying to progress as fast as possible, add an extra 2.5 lbs when lifting weights or focus on going a bit further during your cardio exercises.
Remember to celebrate these small victories! After a few months, you’ll surprise yourself with how far you’ve come.
Incorporate Active Rest Training into Your Routine
Active rest training is precisely what it sounds like — low-impact activities you incorporate into your rest days. Rather than sitting around the house on your days between workouts, find a way to stay active without overdoing it.
Choosing to go for a swim, ride your bike, or incorporate half an hour of walking into your off days is enough to let your body rest while remaining active.
The results of active training speak for themselves. You should expect higher energy levels and less chance of injury on the days you work hard at the gym.
Trust Fit Body Boot Camp on Your Exercise Journey!
You can build an injury-free workout routine on your own, but trusting experts to guide your fitness journey is the best way to stay healthy.
Our expert fitness coaches understand how to effectively evaluate your starting fitness level and monitor you throughout your workouts to prevent exercise injury.
Want to learn more about how we can help you with healthy exercise? Stop by your local Fit Body Boot Camp to experience it for yourself!
