The best advice in preventing injuries and exercising safely is to use your common sense! It is
also important to be aware of the environment you are exercising in, as well as how your body is responding. The following is a list of precautions/behaviors that will enhance your training
experience and provide a safer environment:
• Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q): Every member embarking on this program should complete the PAR-Q prior to starting the program. If you answer “yes” to any questions, please consult your Division Fitness & Lifestyle Advisor for further direction.
• Shoes and Clothing: Select shoes that fit properly and are designed for the intended activity. Wear comfortable clothing that doesn’t restrict movement. Select clothing that is appropriate for the exercise environment. Clothes that wick moisture away are great for keeping you cool in hot environments. Wear layers when exercising outdoors in the cold and be mindful of frostbite, as well as the potential for hypothermia.
• Equipment: Before starting an exercise program, check the equipment to make sure it is safe to use. This includes making sure the bench is stable, collars on free weights are secure, the support pin in the weight stack is properly inserted, floor surface is free of clutter, cables are not frayed, and there is adequate space around you to perform the exercise.
• Exercise Technique: It is important that you know how to safely perform each exercise. Improper execution of an exercise is often cited as one of the major culprits leading to injury, as technique is compromised for increased resistance or number of reps.
• Warm-up and Cool-down: Start each session with a warm-up and end with a cool down. The warm-up should consist of a minimum of 5-10 minutes of light exercise that serves to warm up the muscle. At the end of each session 5-10 minutes of active cool-down accompanied with some stretching is ideal.
• Spotter. When training with heavy resistance or taking resistance exercises to failure, the use of a spotter is very important. Make sure that the spotter understands how many repetitions you are attempting and how you would like to be assisted during the exercise.
• Hydration: As you exercise, your body loses water through sweat. Failure to replace this fluid can result in fatigue, decrease work capacity, and increase susceptibility to infections and injury. At the very minimum, you should replace all fluid lost during a workout. This can be achieved by drinking enough fluid to replace any weight loss during the workout.
• Overtraining: When your body does not have adequate time to recuperate from training, it can experience a plateau or an actual drop in performance. This is usually a result of not following the recommended guidelines for proper recovery.
Symptoms of overtraining include:
• prolonged muscle aches,
• unexplained weight loss,
• chronic fatigue,
• loss of appetite,
• inability to maintain performance,
• decreased resistance to illness,
• constipation or diarrhea,
• an increase in resting heart rate (8-10 bpm or greater) and training heart rate.
If two or more symptoms develop, it is recommended that you reduce the intensity, frequency, and/or duration of your training session until these warning signs dissipate.
The following recommendations will help prevent overtraining:
• Follow the program, including the scheduled rest and recovery.
• Get enough sleep (7-8 hours) by establishing good bedtime habits.
• Eat properly and make sure you are adequately hydrated.
• Minimize other stressors in your life.
• Injuries: Treat minor injuries such as abrasions, bruises, strains, and cuts right away to
minimize damage and speed up the healing process. Use the RICE strategy when dealing with
a muscle injury:
• Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q): Every member embarking on this program should complete the PAR-Q prior to starting the program. If you answer “yes” to any questions, please consult your Division Fitness & Lifestyle Advisor for further direction.
• Shoes and Clothing: Select shoes that fit properly and are designed for the intended activity. Wear comfortable clothing that doesn’t restrict movement. Select clothing that is appropriate for the exercise environment. Clothes that wick moisture away are great for keeping you cool in hot environments. Wear layers when exercising outdoors in the cold and be mindful of frostbite, as well as the potential for hypothermia.
• Equipment: Before starting an exercise program, check the equipment to make sure it is safe to use. This includes making sure the bench is stable, collars on free weights are secure, the support pin in the weight stack is properly inserted, floor surface is free of clutter, cables are not frayed, and there is adequate space around you to perform the exercise.
• Exercise Technique: It is important that you know how to safely perform each exercise. Improper execution of an exercise is often cited as one of the major culprits leading to injury, as technique is compromised for increased resistance or number of reps.
• Warm-up and Cool-down: Start each session with a warm-up and end with a cool down. The warm-up should consist of a minimum of 5-10 minutes of light exercise that serves to warm up the muscle. At the end of each session 5-10 minutes of active cool-down accompanied with some stretching is ideal.
• Spotter. When training with heavy resistance or taking resistance exercises to failure, the use of a spotter is very important. Make sure that the spotter understands how many repetitions you are attempting and how you would like to be assisted during the exercise.
• Hydration: As you exercise, your body loses water through sweat. Failure to replace this fluid can result in fatigue, decrease work capacity, and increase susceptibility to infections and injury. At the very minimum, you should replace all fluid lost during a workout. This can be achieved by drinking enough fluid to replace any weight loss during the workout.
• Overtraining: When your body does not have adequate time to recuperate from training, it can experience a plateau or an actual drop in performance. This is usually a result of not following the recommended guidelines for proper recovery.
Symptoms of overtraining include:
• prolonged muscle aches,
• unexplained weight loss,
• chronic fatigue,
• loss of appetite,
• inability to maintain performance,
• decreased resistance to illness,
• constipation or diarrhea,
• an increase in resting heart rate (8-10 bpm or greater) and training heart rate.
If two or more symptoms develop, it is recommended that you reduce the intensity, frequency, and/or duration of your training session until these warning signs dissipate.
The following recommendations will help prevent overtraining:
• Follow the program, including the scheduled rest and recovery.
• Get enough sleep (7-8 hours) by establishing good bedtime habits.
• Eat properly and make sure you are adequately hydrated.
• Minimize other stressors in your life.
• Injuries: Treat minor injuries such as abrasions, bruises, strains, and cuts right away to
minimize damage and speed up the healing process. Use the RICE strategy when dealing with
a muscle injury:
- Rest the injured body part.
- Ice the injured area for 10-20 minutes every 2-3 hours.
- Compress the injured area with an elastic bandage or towel (if swelling occurs),
- Elevate the injured area above the level of the heart. Seek medical attention as soon as
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