Five Ways to Stay Active in the Gym - Even If You're Dealing with Pain
Over 58 million people in the US have gym memberships. We all go to the gym for different reasons. For some it's a stress reliever. For others it's a way to challenge themselves. Others love the community that gyms can provide. Whatever your reason - it sucks missing out because of pain and injury.Today we'll cover effective ways to stick to your workout plan - even if you're currently dealing with pain.
1. Warm Up
One of the more obvious but most often ignored piece of advice. It's important to prepare your muscles for the work they are about to do (not going from 0 to 100). Important to note: Static stretching is not an effective warm up. A proper warm up should involve some light cardio movements to lubricate our joints and get the blood moving with dynamic mobilization exercises to prepare our muscles for high intensity work.
2. Modify
Bootcamp and group fitness classes generally have a set workout with movements that all participants do. Most movements can be progressed/regressed to fit client needs but many people feel intimidated or embarrassed to ask for modifications. Don't be afraid to ask a coach/trainer to adjust workouts to fit your situation. If you're dealing with a shoulder injury
3. Pay Attention
Many group fitness classes post workouts done for time. The workout is done after you've completed a certain amount of reps of a few different movements. The problem arises when we become so immersed in completing the workout that we quit paying attention to what our body is telling us. Performing 20 push ups is different than performing 20 correct pushups. Slow down. Your 'time' may suffer, but your body will thank you afterwards.
4. Allow Time to Recover
One of the biggest mistakes we see people make when getting back into shape is to over do it. We've been guilty of it too. Seven Days a week of high intensity weight training. It's important to give your body time to recover. That doesn't mean do nothing, just plan in lighter, lower impact days between heavier, high intensity days.
5. Get Bodywork
The more we use our body the more we need to take care of it. Chiropractic adjustments help maintain spinal movement. Massage helps maintain muscle function. Bodywork is a vital piece in maintaining our ability to perform at our highest level.
Evolve Performance Healthcare helps active adults maintain their lifestyle and find sustainable pain relief without the use of painkillers and endless doctor visits.
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