While it benefits both your mind and body in more than a few ways, working out in a gym can’t be exactly considered as safe. Why? Well, the motions you make and the weights you lift during these exercises aren’t the ones your body is used to, which may sometimes take a muscle, a bone or a tendon by a surprise. Apart from this, being reckless around workout machines and weights can also be quite dangerous. With all of this in mind, here are five most common gym injury causes, as well as five tips on how to avoid them.
1. Bad exercise form
Have you ever wondered why there are so many mirrors in the gym? Sure, you probably assumed that they are there simply to feed the ego of people working out but in truth, there is much more to them than that. The number one cause of injury in the gym is having a bad form while performing an exercise. Not only does it make your body more prone to injury but it also prevents you from unleashing your full potential. To avoid this, however, it is usually best to work out with a more experienced friend or a personal trainer, at least in the beginning.
2. Pushing yourself too hard
Another reason why people so commonly harm themselves in the gym is due to the fact that they overestimate their strength or are simply too ashamed to start with some modest weights on a barbell. A common misconception about this type of injury is that you will immediately feel it (as a snap) but the truth is that you won’t feel actual pain until later. It is more likely that you will do your training, feel a slight twitch in the back, take a shower and only then will the agony begin.
3. Inadequate gear
As we already mentioned, your body is under a lot of pressure while you work out and one of the ways to protect yourself is to equip yourself with an adequate gear. For starters, you need quality weightlifting shoes, in order to protect yourself from ankle and feet injuries. For your back, you might want to go with a weightlifting belt, while proper clothes like gym tracksuits for men and women might help with perspiration and allow your skin to breathe.
4. Not minding your surrounding
As we already said, a gym injury might be caused by a third party but it will still partially be your fault, as well. By being aware of your surroundings you can avoid bumping into things, as well as getting injured by others who are working out. While these things don’t happen as often, you would be surprised just how much damage can a bit of negligence cause.
5. Not stretching
Finally, in order to minimize the chance of injury, you need to stretch properly. Usually, this doesn’t take more than a few minutes, yet a lot of people avoid both stretching and warming up. Their reasoning is usually that they are in a rush or these stretches are uncomfortable to do in public. Needless to say, either of these two reasons is just outright ridiculous and your safety always needs to come first.
Conclusion
From the above-listed five examples, it seems quite ironic just how easily preventable most of these injuries are, yet how little people are willing to do for their own wellbeing. Of course, stretching, taking it easy and wearing proper gym clothes don’t guarantee you an injury-free training session, but they do minimize the chance of this happening by quite a bit.