You
exercise to enhance your health and to improve your ability to do
things. So you definitely don't want to hurt yourself while you
are exercising. Here are a few tips to help you exercise safely.
Warm up
Even before you stretch, you need to warm up. Stressing cold
muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and even the heart can cause
injury. That's what happens when people go out to shovel snow, or
push a car, or suddenly lift some furniture. Warming up prepares
your body for the exercise that will follow. Specifically it
raises your heart rate and blood flow rate and loosens up the
structures that will be moving and exerting forces.
You can warm up generally by running in place and breathing
deeply for a few minutes. You can warm up specifically by slowly
and gently rehearsing the motions of your exercise for a few
minutes before you begin. And when you begin, go slowly and
gradually build up speed, force, and intensity.
Cool down
Before you seek the comfort of the shower after exercising,
take a few minutes to cool down. It is just as important as the
warm up. It is the warm up in reverse, but longer. Slow down your
motions and lessen your intensity for about 10 minutes before you
stop. You are cooled down when your skin is dry and cool to the
touch. Do not cool down by going into a cold, air-conditioned room
while you are wet with perspiration or by guzzling ice-cold
drinks.
Wear the proper gear
If you are walking or jogging or performing any other
activities out-of-doors, dress for the temperature and humidity.
The best rule for exercising in cold weather is to dress in layers
so that as your body temperature rises, you can take off one layer
at a time. The same rule applies indoors, except that you don't
need as many layers. Be sure, too, that you wear appropriate
supportive underwear—jogging bras for women, jock straps for
men.
Proper shoes are also very important. As sentimental as you may
be about an old pair that looks worn, replace it with a new one.
Shoes are designed for specific activities. For instance, a
running shoe bends at the ball of the foot and has a thick heel
wedge to tilt the foot forward, a shock-absorbing midsole, and an
outer sole with deep patterns. The upper part of any shoe should
breathe, and the whole shoe should be lightweight. Shop for shoes
late in the day, when your feet are larger than in the morning.
Wear the same socks you would when exercising with the shoes.
There should be a thumb's width between your big toe and the tip
of the shoe and there should be enough room around the widest part
of your foot. The socks that goes between you and your shoes are
also important. While the socks should be specific for your sport
or style of exercise, they must also be able to absorb moisture
from your feet. Select socks that provide good cushioning.
Finally, to prevent athlete's foot and other problems, never wear
the same socks twice without washing them.
Drink fluids
Drink a pint of water about 15 minutes before you start
exercising. If you exercise in a warm environment, drink a large
glass of water every 20 minutes during the activity, then drink at
least a pint after you cool down. While exercising in hot weather
you can lose as much as a quart of water every hour.
If you don't drink enough water, you can become dehydrated
(possible signs being nauseated and/or lethargic). If you ignore
these signs, your body may go into heat exhaustion or heat stroke,
neither of which are much fun. You can determine your body's state
of hydration or dehydration by monitoring your urination. Clear or
lightly colored urine indicates adequate hydration; dark urine
indicates inadequate hydration; and, lack of urination for hours
indicates dehydration.
