General Tips on Fitness Training
March 12, 2009
To avoid muscle and joint injury, it is important to carry out warm up and stretching exercises prior to any fitness training workout. There are also a number of precautionary measures and tips to serve as guidelines when doing fitness exercises. You are less likely to strain or pull a warm muscle than a cold one but it is just as beneficial to have a cool down exercise period after a workout has been completed. This flexibility is further improved when you carry out muscle and tendon stretching exercises after you have finished any physical activity.
For instance, stretching movements for a warm up only have to last a third of the time that the same movements do when you are doing a cool-down, so they need to last for about a minute. The best method to achieve this is to stretch slowly and return to your original position slowly as this will prevent any jerking movements which could cause injury. The way to do this is to maintain the position of a few seconds and then return because it is possible to either strain or pull muscles or joints if you return to the starting position too quickly. Work slowly in increments instead of immediately proceeding to doing the hardest exercise or position so make sure that you have stretched or warmed up all muscle groups.
A commonly forgotten area of the body to warm up, and one that is easy to injure, is the neck so make sure that the neck is warmed up by applying pressure to the head at the front, back and sides using pressure from the palm of your hand. If you carry out regular stretching prior to fitness training you will be surprised just how flexible your body becomes and it will increase your ability to perform certain training. Workout only to your capabilities and not that of others so do not force yourself to do exercises that you are not yet capable of just because there are people who can do it; increase your limits slowly and listen to your body. There are days when your body may be too tired that you may have to consider reducing your range of motion so learn to rest in between sets and stations to make sure that the body has enough time to recover its energy.
Fitness training everyday can be punishing for the muscles and does not allow them to heal and grow so try to leave a day between workouts. Aerobic exercises are the best for you because they will improve you cardiovascular system, improve your stamina, lung capacity and overall fitness; exercises like skipping running, rowing, swimming, stepping machines etc. Many people find music good for exercise, especially something with a regular beat that can be worked to; of course mp3 players are ideal for this. While most come complete with headphones, it is s good idea to have some good ones because if you have your music loud, it is quite easy for others to be disturbed by it. Apart from preventing injuries and increasing your limit, it is also said that stretching is good for a tired body and also for a stressed mind and spirit.
