4 Tips for Staying Safe & Healthy Working Out in Kenner

4 Tips for Staying Safe & Healthy Working Out in Kenner

After thinking about it for a while, you’ve decided to take the steps toward starting your health and wellness journey. This means finding and sticking to an exercise program. Whether you’ve decided to take up running, biking, weight lifting, or yoga, you’re making a positive change in your life and for your future. Congratulations!

Although you can’t fully protect yourself from ever getting injured, a little bit of preparation and prevention can go a long way.

Here are 4 tips for making your exercise journey as safe and healthy as possible:

Get Cleared By Your Doctor

Before you start any exercise program, especially if you’ve never worked out before, it’s been a while since you were last active, or you have a medical condition, it’s important to get checked out by your doctor. Exercise can do serious good – and serious harm – to your body, so you want to make sure you’re healthy enough to jump right in.

Make an appointment for a full physical assessment. Your doctor should go over your medical history, thoroughly check all your vitals, and order any diagnostic testing that may be necessary. Be sure to discuss your exercise plans with your doctor.

Getting seen by your doctor is especially important if you have a pre-existing condition, such as:

  • Heart disease
  • Asthma
  • Lung disease
  • Diabetes
  • Kidney disease
  • Arthritis

Additionally, if you are obese, older than 35, smoker, or have a family history of heart disease before age 60, do not begin an exercise program before consulting a physician.

Take It Slow (at first)

When you first begin a new fitness program, it can be tempting to jump in with both feet. You’re excited about getting active again and all the great results you’ll see from your hard work. But moving too quickly can lead to you overdoing things and getting injured, sidelining you for days or weeks.

Resist the urge to start your new workout plan by going hard for an hour a day, seven days a week. You’ll very quickly burn out your muscles, making them more susceptible to injury. Not only that, but you’ll likely get sick of the schedule, meaning you’re more likely to stop working out altogether.

Build at least one rest day into your training plan per week. Now, this isn’t a day to just sit around and watch TV all day; this is an active rest day, where you take a walk, clean the house, or do some other light activity. Rest days allow your body – and your mind – to recover, meaning you’ll get less sore next time.

And, if you’re weightlifting, don’t work the same body part two days in a row. Leave at least one day between exercises for the same muscles, which gives them time to recover and grow without injury.

If you’re looking for a great home gym fitness equipment that will last, check out the Life Fitness G3 Home Gym in stock at Fitness Expo Stores.

Cross-Train to Reduce the Risk of Overtraining and Injury

Doing the same thing over and over again may seem to get you faster results. Plus, it’s easier to come up with one activity or training plan that you like and stick with it every single day. However, doing the exact same thing every single time makes you more prone to injury and can even hinder your fitness progress.

When you do the same workout every time, you use the exact same muscles each time. This can lead other muscles to grow weaker. If you’re big on running, for example, you may have great quads but your hamstrings and hip flexors are weak. Or, if you’re all into pumping up your chest and biceps, your glutes are suffering.

Switch up your routine at least once – but preferably twice – a week and do something different. Pair weightlifting with running, which is fun and easy thanks to the Horizon Adventure 5 Treadmill. It easily connects with ViaFit, allowing you to track your progress from your favorite fitness app. Or, if you’re into swimming, throw in a couple days on an elliptical exercise machine such as the BH Fitness S2XI. You’ll get the same great workout using different muscles.

Dress Appropriately

We’re not talking making sure all your workout clothes are matching, here. Instead, be sure that what you’re wearing fits the activity you’re doing. This is especially important for footwear.

Many people opt for form-fitting, moisture-wicking clothing when they workout. That’s completely fine, as long as it’s something you’re comfortable wearing and it isn’t too tight or too loose. If you’re going to opt to go a little looser with your workout gear, such as sweatpants and a T-shirt, be sure they fit you well and aren’t going to trip you up during your routine.

When choosing your footwear, it’s incredibly important to get fitted properly, especially if you plan to do a lot of running, for example. Running shoes should not be your normal street shoe size; instead, go up a full size to give your feet room to move and swell during your workout. Too-tight shoes are the cause of black, sore toenails, painful toe spasms, and a whole host of other awful things.

Quality Home Gym Exercise Equipment in Kenner, LA

At Fitness Expo Stores, we want to make your home gym experience the best it can be. That’s why we carry a full line of high-quality gym equipment in Kenner available for delivery. Visit us online or stop by to try out our offerings in person!