Weight training is a very challenging sport in which pushing, pulling and straining against high weight iron, by using your strength is stimulating but can also be dangerous. If you get injured during your training, you must have to take proper care before it turns into a serious problem. As you push yourself to the limits, there’s a greater chance of getting injured.
As the proverb says, “without risk there is no reward” might be encouraging, but at the same time it’s not fully applicable for building muscle . So below are some of the methods that you can apply for yourself to stay safe and prevent injuries.
5 Pre/Post Workout Methods To Prevent Injury
Get The Right Nutrition
It’s quite essential to get the best nutrition before starting your workout. Nutrition plays a great role in injury prevention. You must have to consume the required amount of calories to burn them in your workouts.
It will be quite discomforting if you run out of calories in the middle of the workout, so always double check. Protein powders or weight gainers are some of the easiest ways to get the extra calories and you must have to look for the vitamins which are useful to repair the muscle tissues.
Warm Up With Cardio
Before starting your workout, try to do a simple cardiovascular exercise like running or pedaling. As you do this, the blood flow in your body increases which makes you ready for the workout and decreases the chances of getting injured in between your workout. Prior to stretching, warming up the body is quite important and should be done in the first place. If you stretch first, the cold muscles would have greater susceptibility to injury.
Stretch
After doing a cardiovascular exercise, now it’s time to stretch your body. By stretching you will improve the flexibility and prevent from getting injured. Stretch those muscle groups which you plan to build in your workout and even those muscles that got injured during the previous workouts.
Exercises like leg swings, lunges, toe touches and arm circles are some of the best stretches that will be helpful. But make sure that you do not completely stretch or bounce, always maintain a good balance.
Replenish The Lost Electrolytes
There’s a greater chance that you will dehydrate after completing your workout. Dehydration can cause health problems and muscle cramps. As you sweat, the body loses the water, so it’s important to drink more water after post workout. Since the electrolytes are lost from the body through sweat, you will have to replenish them. Sports drinks like Gatorade or other beverages will help you to restore the lost electrolytes and energy after your training.
Warm Down With Cardio
Once you complete your workout, the next thing you must have to do is warm down. It’s highly important to warm down gradually as your heart would be still racing after a workout. And if you don’t do this, you can develop some serious issue which can affect your overall health.
The best way to warm down is spending a few minutes on a treadmill to slowly get the heat down. So next time, do remember to warm down with a simple cardio exercise as it’s highly beneficial.
