Avoiding Exercise Errors
Too
much exercise-or wrongly executed moves-can lead to injury exhaustion or
even, over the long haul, a suppressed immune system� that can lead to
the worst result of all having to stop exercising.
In women, expert�s caution over exercising
carries particular problems-menstrual irregularity, infertility, and
loss of bone density stay on the healthy side of the injury chasm.
It�s not easy, because exercise makes you feel so good and most of us
are sham endorphin junkies. When you hit that aerobic plateau, when some
natural opiates wash through your system, you just want to keep going.
Like a drug addict, you don�t want the high to end. Figuring out just
how far or how long is too far or too long is the problem.
Here are suggestions
that can help,
Check
it out. Before you begin,
see a doctor, especially if you�re over 60, have a disease or
disability, are taking medications, are recovering from an illness or
surgery.
Also consult a doctor if you�re worried that
exercise may affect any other aspect of your health. If you�re running
a cold or temperature or suffering from a sore throat, avoid exercise
until you�re feeling better. And keep a regular check on your blood
pressure, especially if you�re over 35.
Build
up gradually: It takes
time to get fit. Begin slowly, perhaps just including more overall
activity into your life. Gradually increase your exercise periods to 5
to 10 minutes twice a week, then to 15 to 30 minutes three or four times
a week. You�ll lower your risk of sprains, strains and other injuries.
Avoid
abrupt starts and stops: Ease in and out of exercise.
Abruptly starting or stopping can cause soreness or injury (especially
in older people). Stopping suddenly can also sharply reduce blood
pressure, causing fainting or even a heart attack. So it�s important
to take time to warm up and cool down sufficiently. Begin and end each
workout with 5 to 15 minutes of stretching exercises, slow walking or
gentle calisthenics.
Don�t
push your heart to the brin:.
Avoid exercising so strenuously that you exceed 90 per cent of your
maximum heart rate. To find out your own maximum, use this rough
formula: Subtract your age from 20. For most people exceeding their
upper limit may mean nothing more than approaching utter exhaustion but
those with underlying company disease risk a possible heat attack. (To
be safe, they should keep their heart rate well below the level where
abnormalities appear on an exercise stress test).
Don�t
be a weekend warrior: Though regular sustained
exercise reduces the risk of heart disease, occasional bouts of over
exertion will achieve just the opposite-weekend warriors are at war with
their hearts. If you save all your exercise or all you heavy chores for
the weekend, you are one of those weekend wars
and you could be setting he stage for a heart attack if you�re
unfit. Recent studies have shown a powerful link between heavy physical
exertion and an increased risk of heart attack in people who are out of
condition.
Preferably,
avoid impact aerobics: This is the kind of aerobic
exercise marked by high jumps and percussive bounces which are hard on
your body. (In contrast, in low-impact aerobics one foot is always on
the ground.
Be
kind to your body: If you�re doing aerobic dance, or
even if you�re skipping rope, the surface you�re working out on
should be sufficiently padded. Especially avoid bare cement floors-you
might pay with severe shin splints and other injuries. Also never do
aerobic dance bare-footed. It�s important that you cushion the jolt
your foot hitting the floor with proper shoes. The right shoe are also
important if you exercise of choice is walking or jogging-they should be
well-padded, with good arches and ankle supports.
Don�t
neglect strength training: All sports emphasize a
limited number of muscle groups. This can cause injury to the over
worked muscles. Strength training, by compensating for these muscle
imbalances, may prevent t he damage (such as tendonitis if you�re a
tennis player) that could otherwise result. Work out with lightweights
to help strengthen the rotator cuff (muscles and tendons in your
shoulder)
Use
correct technique. If you do sit-ups with straight legs
instead of knees bent, for instance, you can hurt your back, if you walk
with your toes pointed outward, you can expect knee pain, Arthritis,
bunions and lower back pain. In general, perform your exercise slowly
avoid jerky, fast
movements.
Listen
to your body; if you�re exercising with faulty technique,
or if you�re exercising in excess of what you should be doing your
mind will often send messages to your body to stop, Pain is one of the
most direct messages you�ll get. If ignore the command, soreness and
muscle injury can result. Stay alert to symptoms such as chest pain,
shortness of breath, aching joints or muscle cramps. Get to medical
attention if any of them occurs, especially if you�re elderly or
suffer from a chronic ailment.
Protect
your lunges: Polluted air- a cocktail of noxious gases and
particulate matter-is a particular hazard for exercises. Because
exercise makes you breathe faster and more deeply. It can dramatically
increase the adverse effects of pollutants on your longs and heart. Add
to this the fact that joggers, runners and eve lists often breathe
through the mouth (thus bypassing the nasal passages which help filter
out some pollutants).
Several studies have found that those who exercise
strenuously outdoors run much higher risks of pollution related
symptoms; coughing, throat irritation, headaches, shortness of breath
and tightness in the chest. For people with coronary disease, Exercise
in highly polluted air can lead to irregular heart rhythm or angina.
Whenever and wherever you decide to begin your
exercise program, keep these suggestions in mind to get the best out of
the fitness program avoiding injuries.
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