Workout Mistakes That Can Cause Real Damage

3. Taking Breaks Remember, it’s a good idea to occasionally take breaks when you start to feel tired, out of breath, or thirsty when exercising. Over… Trista - June 4, 2018

3. Taking Breaks

Remember, it’s a good idea to occasionally take breaks when you start to feel tired, out of breath, or thirsty when exercising. Over exerting yourself isn’t suitable for your body and can damage your muscles if you’re not careful. So listen to your body when it tells you to slow down and take a breather. For example, when you’re running and your legs start to feel like noodles, it just might be time to stop and give them a break.

Another example of taking a break would be if you’re swimming laps in a pool and get short of breath, it’s best to stop and sit on the side for a bit to catch your breath. If you continue to swim, you may make yourself go into panic mode and put your body into shock, or even have a panic or asthma attack if you’re prone to them. Work your way up slowly to reach your goal of how much you can do at a time, don’t go all-in at once, or you may regret it afterward.

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2. Wearing Proper Attire

Wearing the proper clothing for whatever workout you plan on doing is a good start. If you plan on going for a jog or lifting weight or doing squats, for example, sweatpants or comfortable shorts might be a good idea to wear, along with a baggy shirt or sweatshirt if it’s chilly. If you are outside, wear tennis shoes or sneakers that fit your feet well, and be sure that they are tied, so you do not trip over the laces. When swimming, you can wear a swimsuit of your choice, even shorts or a t-shirt over your suit if that’s more comfortable for you, too.

When doing any sort of activities and exercises outside, it’s important to remember to wear sunscreen on any part of your skin exposed to the sun. Also, remember that you can still get sunburned on a cloudy day if you’re outside too long with exposed skin on a warm day. If you’re riding a bicycle on a sunny day, it may be a good idea to wear sunglasses to help protect your eyes. The same goes for when you are going for a walk or out running.

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1. Having Fun While Exercising

Making games out of exercising is a fun way to exercise without making it feel like work. Set goals or timers for yourself. See how many times you can jump rope in 30 seconds, or challenge a friend and see who can ride their bike the fastest around the block. If you make it seem like a game, it will make it seem a lot more fun and might just encourage you to get up and get moving around more, too.

If you’re at the public pool with your kids, but all they want to do is float around on pool floaties, see if they can swim to one end of the pool and back in under two minutes. They won’t think it’s work, it won’t feel like exercise, and they’ll have fun doing it. You could set the same goal for yourself too. Maybe put a timer for yourself for 20 minutes, and see what different exercises you can accomplish in that amount of time, without overdoing it, of course. Furthermore, remember, don’t forget to stretch, hydrate, rest, and eat properly!

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