No matter how you exercise, and no matter who you are, there’s probably room for improvement that you may not have thought of. Even professional athletes are constantly refining and perfecting their techniques and their exercise regimens in order to maximize what they’re getting out of a workout, keeping injuries at bay in the process. Men’s Fitness recently outlined some of the ways that persons can improve various types of activities, and you should really consider them.
Runners are the target of the first set of tips, and much of the improvements will rest in how you carry yourself while you run. Think about how a star athlete would run on the track. Rather than keeping his or her head tucked in and taking small steps, they’re standing tall and propelling themselves forward with large steps that almost look like leaps.
There’s a reason for this. Your productivity can increase dramatically when you give your body the chance to unfurl. With your head held up and your back perfectly straight, you can more easily draw breath and reduce pressure on your lower back. It also gets you in the habit of keeping your torso straight, preventing the sorts of injuries that go along with excessive twisting. Raise your knees up high as you run, and make a conscious effort to come down right in the middle of your foot so that excessive force doesn’t get applied to either the back or front.
Lifting weights is one of those areas where people who have been doing it for awhile may let their attention to detail grow lax or think they’ve got everything under control. However, if your lifting technique is off by just a little bit, you could be dramatically reducing the value of the workout.
Instead, work with a personal trainer on the lifts you want to perform so that he or she can instruct you on the proper technique. If you don’t want to do that, then at the very least film yourself lifting. You might be surprised by how awkward you look; this indicates you’re doing something wrong.
You’re also going to want to eliminate potential slippage by using chalk to keep a good grip on the weights, something that’s especially important as you work up a sweat. Even if you don’t drop the bells completely, all it takes is a slight maladjustment to compromise the lift’s viability.
Finally, no matter what you’re doing, never deemphasize the value of rest. When pain erupts, it’s best to take things easy rather than push yourself to the point of an injury.
There are more insights to be gleaned about sports competitions, cross-fit, and more, so click the link above for more information.
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