Enjoy Keeping Fit
Jo Williamson provides some safety guidelines to apply to your regime of staying healthy and keeping fit.
Being health-conscious and physically fit are essential parts of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It is also equally important to make sure that you follow specific safety guidelines and procedures.
Check with your Doctor
Get the green light from your doctor to start doing physical activity. This is especially important if you are recovering from an illness or some form of procedure.
Do you have a condition that you need to be aware of? Like a heart condition, chest pains, or a bone or joint problem, if so, ensure that your workout takes those things under consideration.
Stretches
Do not jump into a fitness regime or workout; do the appropriate stretches and correct warm-up. Otherwise, you might pull the wrong muscles, and not only will that be unpleasant, but it will set you back physically.
Proper Gear
You would be surprised at how many injuries occur because people are not wearing the correct sports clothing or equipment. Wear light, cotton, loose-fitting fabrics that absorb sweat and clothing that provides appropriate support. Also, wear the right shoes for your feet. The last thing you want to do is twist your ankle or hurt your feet somehow.
When taking part in sports and activities like hiking, biking, playing soccer, etc., wear helmets, pads, and anything else you need to be well equipped for your sport.
Listen to Your Body
Physical activity is essential, and so are resting periods, proper diet, and enough sleep. Learn to listen to your body and know when to stop. Speak to your doctor or research what training is best for you.
- How many days or minutes of cardio should you do?
- How many days of muscle training?
- How many days of rest?
Know your limits and increase your activity slowly until you reach your goals.
Trainer and Gym
If you are working out with a trainer, ensure that they are a certified trainer who is knowledgeable. Check out the gym you want to sign up with beforehand and look over their machines.
Recommend you take the following precautions:
- Are safety regulations in place?
- Are the machines up to date and safe?
- Are they regularly maintained?
If you have a gym at home, the same rules apply. Make sure that you are maintaining safety standards.
Take that warning seriously when lifting weights or using machines that specify someone spots you. Do not do any dangerous lifting or pulling without having someone spot you.
Know the Machines
When working out in a gym or using machines, do not start using it until you understand the machine well, such as:
- How do you use it?
- What key areas of your body or muscles does this machine target?
- How do you start and stop the machine?
Remember
The critical thing to remember is to enjoy your physical activity, whatever you do. If you start to feel uncomfortable or experience any discomfort or pain while working out, stop what you are doing immediately. Being fit is not a competition and should not be rushed, so take it slowly and one step at a time
Page Reference
If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:
- WILLIAMS, J. (2014) Enjoy Keeping Fit [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article168.htm [Accessed
About the Author
Jo Williamson was a personal trainer and Yoga instructor for nearly a decade. She works as a freelance consultant helping businesses and individuals set up health clubs and gyms.