Exercise is among the best things that your mind and body can benefit from. This is because it reduces your risks for chronic degenerative disease, improve your overall fitness, and boost your spirit. Even brisk walking for 30 minutes a day will provide these benefits!
But exercise can be bad for you, too. You can go about it the wrong way, so to speak, which increases your risks of injuries. You should be aware of these things that can make exercise bad for your mind and body.
Not Warming Up
This is a common mistake especially among novices in gyms like LA Fitness. Your failure to stretch and warm up your body, particularly your muscles, before vigorous exercise will likely lead to injuries. You may not be injured in a big way now but you will feel the effects sooner than later.
Tip: Always perform 5-minute warm-up exercises before the exercise proper. You should do so regardless of the types of exercises performed, whether cardio, strength or flexibility.
Not Being Properly Equipped
This is yet another common mistake that even a few veterans can make. You may not be properly equipped for many reasons, such as insufficient funds or knowledge about the matter. You’re increasing your risks for injuries, too, since your body doesn’t have sufficient support.
You may, for example, be running on a treadmill in your regular sneakers. You should wear running shoes with adequate cushioning against hard surfaces and support for your feet. You must also wear the right clothes for yoga, or weightlifting, or running, among others.
Not Cross Training
This isn’t such a well-known fact about exercise mainly because people tend to stick to a single exercise type. You’re also increasing your risks of injuries because of the overuse of specific muscle groups from a single type of exercise performed over and over again.
You don’t have to suffer from overuse injuries, especially as these aren’t just painful but preventable, too. You don’t have to be obsessed with whatever exercise you’re on now either.
Instead, you should cross train. You can then exercise your other muscle groups, thus, reducing the risks for overuse injuries. You will also love your more well-rounded exercise program.
For example, if you’re into running, you should cross-train into other types of exercise like swimming or cycling. You will not only prevent boredom but your body will also be better for it.
Indeed, exercise should be good for your mind and body. When you feel that it isn’t, you should take a step back and assess what you’re doing.