Anyone else impatiently awaiting nicer weather? (those of you in warm climates need not retort) Spring into summer is my busy season. All you people wanting to get fit and get your swim bods ready - forgetting that going out for a 5 mile run after you haven't gotten off the couch in 7 months is probably not a great idea. Take it from a credible source (7 years of education, 10 years of working experience, and 1 injury from running hills in CA because it was just too frickin beautiful), easing into exercise is the way to go.
More importantly, exercising in general is just so good for you. Let me count the ways: reduces your risk for heart disease, improves your mental health and mood, strengthens your bones and muscles, improves your sleep, and many others! Not to mention being outside AND exercising is just good for the soul.
So let’s get outside and exercise, but keeping these tips in mind!
Ease into your desired activity. Low mileage, slower pace, lesser weights. More is not better, here!
Take appropriate rest days! Your body has the amazing ability to tell you what it needs. Resting your body is necessary to recoup its energy systems!
If it hurts, don’t do it! No pain no gain does not apply to your 40 year old dad bod just trying to get your heart rate up. If something hurts your body is trying to warn you! Listen to it.
Warm up and cool down. There’s a lot of conflicting information out there about whether to and when to stretch. Use dynamic stretching to warm up (think butt kicks, high kicks, body twists), and static long hold stretching to cool down your activity.
Start low and go slow. Don’t be an idiot.
Hydrate! There are some crazies out there that can workout after a night of drinking like nothing even happened. Good for you, but I do not recommend. If you’re going to exert your body, you should also hydrate it, and stay hydrated!
And let us not forget about spring cleaning. I don’t know about you, but I feel so accomplished after going through a house cleanse and just getting rid of shit. But for me, that typically involves hours in awkward positions in our storage room, and lifting and carrying objects of varying weights. I complain a lot about a sore back after spring cleaning.
To help you from complaining about a sore back, here are some tips to preventing injury during spring cleaning.
Lighten the loads. Split your boxes up into lighter loads.
Take breaks! Split your spring cleaning up into chunks. Shorter durations of time over more days.
Ask for help! Spring cleaning can be such a fun group activity.
Hydrate. You might be in the groove, but don’t forget to stop and stay hydrated.
Spring cleaning is basically it’s own form of exercise. Practice safe cleaning! While we can’t prevent injury 100% of the time, we can reduce the risk of injury by being smart. Now get outside and think spring!
You can’t fill from an injured cup!
