7 tips for coaches to avoid injuries in the gym
Sport is good for the body and morale. However, doing this activity does not protect you from injury. Regardless of your level, whether you are a weekend athlete or a professional athlete, you must follow certain rules if you want to train safely in the gym.
1 / Warm up properly
Warm-up is essential to prepare the muscles for the workout! This makes it possible to properly sensitize the muscles, joints and tendons, which significantly reduces the risk of injury.
It will also allow you to warm up the cardiorespiratory system to be more permanent. Ten minutes of running or cardio can be enough to warm up properly.
2/ Be progressive
Putting pressure on the body beyond its limits during the first sessions will have no other consequences than causing injuries. Muscles must adapt to the exercises at their own pace. So take it step by step. Gradually increase the intensity of your sessions and the volume of exercises. You can consider increasing your goals by 10-20% each month.
3/ Stretch regularly
Stretching aims to relax the muscles. It is recommended to stay away from training two hours after the exercise session. It can also be interesting to stretch on a regular basis. In this way, you are also working on your flexibility and at the same time preventing pain and injuries. If possible, plan to stretch for 15 minutes 3 times a week to loosen up your muscles, if possible at the end of the day.
4 / Prepare yourself well
It is often given little importance, but it is essential to choose your equipment, especially shoes, while training in the gym. With an improper pair of shoes, you can take a bad attack with the foot on the floor while running and increase the risk of injury (Achilles tendonitis, plantar aponeurosis, sprain). Choose a pair that adapts to the intensity and frequency of your sessions as well as your shape. Do not hesitate to speak to your physiotherapist, he will be able to give you good advice.
5/ all correctly
Even if you start exercising to lose extra pounds, there is no need to subject yourself to a strict diet, quite the contrary! The body needs energy to move and can only extract energy from the food you bring to it. Make sure you eat a healthy, balanced diet. Your plate should include fruits, vegetables, grains, wholemeal bread and pasta, legumes, lean meats, fatty fish, and other sources of good fats.
6 / Stay hydrated enough
Staying hydrated means drinking at least 1.5 liters of water per day. During exercise, these water needs increase. In fact, the body sweats, which accelerates the loss of water. It is necessary to close this gap to prevent dehydration, increase fatigue and promote the appearance of cramps. Therefore, it is necessary to make sure to drink before, during and after the effort.
7/ Rest well
Fatigue increases the risk of injury. So it is important to let the body recover and get enough sleep is the best way to achieve this. Massage is also excellent for promoting recovery. You can then start a self-massage with the help of a massage stick or a tennis ball, for example.
