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Bodybuilders, as other athletes, must be prepared for injury
when participating in their sport. To ignore the possibility of
injury is to invite disaster that can interfere with your
routine, cause you to miss training or even end a career.
What can you do to avoid injury? How should you handle
occasional injuries so that you can get back in top form as soon
as possible? Here are some points for beginners AND experienced
bodybuilders to keep in mind. As with any exercise program,
proper supplementation is vital. Please visit
http://www.healthybodysupplements.com for a very informative and
Free Health Newsletter. Always consult your health care provider
before starting any exercise program.
PREVENTION COMES FIRST
Any bodybuilder, whether training daily or occasionally, is
likely to experience injury from their training. However, there
are important steps you should take to prevent injury and reduce
the occurrence of strains, sprains and more severe injuries.
WARMING UP AND STRETCHING
Every session, every time. No matter what routine or exercise
you are about to engage in, your muscles need to be prepped
beforehand.
Warming up by using a bike, treadmill or quick repetitions with
a light weight, will get blood circulating in the muscles and
make them more pliable. Stretching them to their fullest degree
and holding for 30 seconds will also encourage flexibility.
Flexibility and pliability are very important in preventing
muscle injury and improving the muscle's ability to respond to
the exercise.
Stretching after your routine will also improve recovery time,
thus reducing soreness after a session.
PROPER TECHNIQUE
Proper technique is crucial when bodybuilding. Physical laws
(including the law of gravity) limit what your body is capable
of lifting and the range of motion any muscle can reach.
Bouncing or jerking motions and improper grip can cause the
weight to pull your muscles and overextend their range,
resulting in injuries. Injury can range from minor strains to
more severe sprains or ripping that can prevent you from
training for an extended time.
Having a trainer show you proper technique is important, as is
knowing your boundaries for the amount of weight you can safely
work with. You may decide to use wraps on your joints or back to
help distribute the weight more evenly, which will also reduce
the chance of injury.
If you are training with very heavy weights there are some
exercises that should only be performed with reliable spotters
on hand. Whether you are spotting for a friend or asking for
their assistance to spot you, be sure that the spotter is
focused and quick to help or you could face extreme injuries.
PAY ATTENTION AND BE READY
Distraction and fatigue can quickly ruin your progress and put
you out of commission (and away from the gym) by causing an
accident.
Lifting heavy weights requires concentration and attention to
your performance. Chatting with friends or watching other people
is distracting and can cause you to lose form and drop weights,
pulling and tearing muscles. A dropped weight may also fall on
you or a neighbor, causing serious, long term injury.
Over training when your body is not in optimum condition can
also cause you to lose grip or push your body beyond its ability
to handle the weight. Not eating, lack of sleep, training too
often, using too much weight or training without proper
preparation or safety can ruin all your hard work, so always
train prepared and in good condition for the best results.
If you do experience injury, treat it right away. Minor injuries
may just need a day of rest, compression and ice to reduce
swelling. Severe injuries should be checked by a doctor as soon
as possible or healing time will be longer. Take care of
injuries properly to avoid more damage and to start training
again as soon as possible. As with any exercise program there
are two things to keep in mind: (1) Proper supplementation is
vital. For a very informative source and a FREE No Obligation
Health Newsletter please visit:
http://www.healthybodysupplements.com "Be Informed-Take Action"
(2) Always consult your health care provider before starting any
exercise program.
About the author:
For More Health Related Articles & FREE Health Newsletter please
visit: http://www.healthybodysupplements.com
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