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Preventing Injuries and Toning your body go hand in hand..
Injuries most often occur when we exercise too hard after being
inactive, have not warmed up before beginning our workout, wear
improper shoes or exercise on a hard or uneven surface.
Here are the essential points to remember to avoid injury:
Surfaces
1. Avoid concrete. Many aerobic studios have concrete
floors covered with carpet. Carpeting will not protect you from
shin splints and stress fractures that result from landing on
such a hard surface. You want a wood floor at best or mats at
the very least. (For out-of-doors exercise, asphalt is less stressful
than concrete.)
2. Surfaces should
be even. Walking or running on a rough or sloping surface pulls
the joints at unusual angles and causes friction and irritation
to the cartilage under the kneecap, which frequently results in
"runner's knee."
Shoes
Good running shoes are expensive, but well worth the price when
you consider the grief you'll have if you buy cheap ones. Your
shoes must provide maximum cushioning, stability and enough toe
room so that your toes don't hit against the front of the shoe
when you land. Replace your shoes as the cushioning loses its
bounce and the outer soles wear down.
Don't Overdo
Pushing too hard when you're tired or not heeding a pain that
gets worse during and after exercise are the principle causes
of injury.
Dehydration
Always drink plenty of water a while before and after exercising.
De-hydration will greatly reduce your performance.
Warm Up and Cool Down
Always do a warm-up at the beginning of your exercise program,
a series of fairly easy exercises that gradually increase your
heart rate and stretch your muscles, since warm, flexible muscles
are less injury-prone. Stretch again immediately after exercising
to allow your pulse rate to return to normal and reduce the possibility
of soreness.
Aerobic exercise is recommended if you have varicose veins,
but be sure to wear elastic support stockings.
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1. Eat only when you are really hungry.
2. Enjoy your food when you eat it.
3 . Don't eat absent-mindedly, or out of
boredom.
4. Chew well so that the digestive enzymes
can begin their work
before the food reaches the stomach |
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Probably exercises for the abdominal muscles are the easiest to
do incorrectly. The tendency is to use the lower back instead of
the abdominal muscles to lift you.
Here are several ways to avoid common mistakes:
1. Make sure your
lower back is always pressed flat into the floor. Never allow it
to arch.
2. Keep your neck
and head relaxed as much as possible.
3. Concentrate completely
on using your abdominal's to do all the work.
4. Always exhale as
you lift; always inhale as you lower or release.
To help you envision the proper breathing technique, I've included
an illustration at the beginning of the abdominal exercises for
this month.
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for Injuries
If you experience a musculoskeletal injury like "runner's knee,"
shin splints, tendinitis, bursitis, a sprained ligament or a strained
muscle, the first order of business is to reduce the inflammation.
The standard prescription for this is R-I-C-E:
Rest the injured area until the pain and swelling
go away. Anywhere from two to six weeks may be necessary for healing,
so patience is essential for any musculoskeletal injury.
Ice the hurt area as soon as possible after injury
—for twenty to thirty minutes at a time, no longer. Do this
several times during the day. The cold constricts the blood vessels,
squeezing blood or fluid from the area and thereby reducing the
swelling. After icing, the blood vessels return to normal, permitting
an onrush of fresh blood which speeds the healing process.
Compress after icing by wrapping an elastic bandage
around the injured area, but not so tight as to make you uncomfortable
or to restrict circulation.
Elevate the hurt area in order to use gravity
to help drain fluid away from the injury.
If the injury persists or recurs frequently, you may want to consult
a sports-medicine specialist.
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Exercise 1.
Proper Breathing Technique
Stand with your feet together. Place your
hand on your stomach. Breathe in. You can feel your stomach bubble
out as it fills with oxygen. This is the correct way to breathe;
it is especially important while exercising, when you need the maximum
amount of oxygen to burn fat and to provide energy. |
Exercise 2.
Roll Ups / Crunches
 Starting
position: Lie on your back on a mat or rug with your toes
tucked under a firm chair or sofa, feet apart, knees parallel. Cross
your arms over your chest.
Exercise: Tuck your chin into your chest and roll
partway up (to approximately a thirty-degree angle, no more) and
roll back again without touching your shoulders to the floor. Repeat
as many times as you can, exhaling as you come up, inhaling as you
roll down. Stop if you feel discomfort in your lower back. Each
week try to increase the number of roll-ups. A reasonable goal could
be from twenty-five to fifty roll-ups.
Reminder: Never allow your back to arch. Always
roll up and down. When you roll down don't let your head and shoulders
touch the floor. Keep your chin tucked in.
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Exercise 3.
Reach Through's
Starting
position: Lie on your back with your knees bent, legs apart,
feet flat on the floor.
Exercise: Place your right hand behind your head
to support your neck. Your elbow is out to the side, your chin tucked
into your chest. Press the lower back into the floor and lift your
upper body as you reach through your knees with your left arm. Then
relax slightly and lift again. Repeat ten to twenty-five times,
exhaling as you lift, inhaling as you relax. Then repeat with your
left hand behind your head and your right arm reaching through your
knees.
Reminder: The arm behind the head is not doing the lifting,
it is only supporting the head and neck. All the work is being done
by the abdominal muscles. Concentrate on pressing the muscle between
your pubic bone and navel toward your spine. Let this contraction
do the lifting. Be sure to exhale as you lift.
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Exercise 4.
Knee Lifts
Starting
position: Lie on your back, knees bent. feet parallel a
little more than hip distance apart. Place your hands behind your
head with elbows pointing upward.
Exercise:
Lift your right knee up as you raise your shoulders. Stretch your
right elbow to your right knee and hold for two counts. Lower
the leg and shoulders again for two counts. Repeat with your left
leg (one set). Do four to six sets.
Reminder: Exhale as the knee lifts up, inhale
as it lowers. Do not use your arms to lift, and don't put pressure
on the neck with your hands. The abdominals do all the work.
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Jane
Fonda's Abs, Buns & Thighs
Jane
Fonda's Lower Body Solution
Jane
Fonda's Step Aerobics Benches