Being Safe and Knowing Your Limits

In my last article regarding body types, I forgot to mention that although each body type has its own advantages/disadvantages, it should not be an excuse to avoid getting fit!  Being fit and healthy does not mean that you can bench press 300lbs or run for kilometres without stopping; it means being good to your body.

Now to bring something to your attention:  Because all of us have different bodies, what may seem to be easy for some is not so easy for others.  This especially applies to intensities of your workout.  The most important thing you have to remember is to be safe and good to your body.  I have spoken to trainers and staff members at gyms and they have told me about the injuries that have occurred.  The one that stood out most in my mind was that someone lifted weights that were too heavy and eventually muscle fibres tore off completely and balled up underneath the skin.  Not to scare anyone here, but these things can happen if you are not aware of your own limits and you could end up undoing all your hard work.

Stretching: Stretching is a great way to prevent muscle soreness and injuries.  However, it has been long debated about whether stretching before or after a workout is better for you.  It is really up to you, try both and see which one works better for you.

Weights/machines: This one is slightly tricky, it comes down to whether or not you would fail with your last repetition of each set.  Ideally you want your muscles to tear slightly and repair to create stronger muscles (which shapes and tones your muscle).  For men, you should be failing at around 9 repetitions; women, at 15 repetitions at a lighter weight.

Proper Stances: Proper stances allow you to fully target specific areas for working out and it is important to maintain a proper stance while performing your exercises (it also helps with your posture!).  Not performing workouts properly could also lead to injuries.  An example was the crunches from my last article, where neck injuries could happen.

If it hurts, STOP: Your body has a really great way of informing you of potential injuries.  If your body starts to ache somewhere, STOP.  You’ll thank yourself later.

I hope these tips help you to have a safe and fun workout!