Get Back in the Swing of Things at the Gym, The Right Way

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Most of us have been out of the loop spending too much time just relaxing on the couch. 

This means less physical activity leading to slowed metabolisms, weight gain or loss, stiffer muscles and joints, and even possibly aches and pains surfacing.

Now that some gyms are opening again, you may be ready to get right back to it. Please use some caution. A body at rest wants to stay at rest, even if your mind is raring to go. Your physical self needs some time to warm back up. Go slowly.

Do not go back in on day one and try to pick up right where you left off. Start out slow and light. Ease up to where you were over a one to two week period. Failing to do so can land you right back at home on the couch with an injury. Pulled muscles, strains, sprains, and just simply overusing unworked muscles, tendons, and ligaments can be the result of too hard too fast.

Be easy on yourself. This time off was not your doing or fault. We all collectively had to take a break. Begin by stretching! Then move on to starting out with slower speeds on machines like treadmills and stair masters at reduced levels and on free weights and nautilus machines it is best to start what feels like ridiculously light doing high reps and move up in weight from there reducing down to your normal sets.

Make sure to drink lots of water to properly hydrate, eat well, get the rest you need to recover after a workout, and if you have access consider the sauna or hot tub to ease sore muscles.

Before you start back getting a chiropractic adjustment to make sure you are in alignment is a fantastic idea. In order for your body mechanics to work at full function, you need to be in alignment. Building muscle while pulling weight wrong can cause more damage than good.

The office of Dr. Jason Kaster – Kaster Chiropractic and Associates welcomes you to schedule your pre-workout adjustment to make sure you are maximizing your gym time. Give us a call at 239-332-2555 or visit www.drkasters.com to learn more about us.

Are You Working Out Correctly?

working out

working outIf you look around in any gym you will see a great bunch of well-meaning motivated people working out to get in shape. The problem is that many of them are simply doing it all wrong.

What do I mean?
They, by the standards of proper body mechanics, have very bad. Bad form not only will not produce the results you are looking for, it also can very easily lead to injury. It can also cause additional wear and tear on other body parts.

When starting any exercise program it is a good idea to first visit your chiropractor. Allow them to get you in proper alignment. They can make sure you have no limitations that should be looked out for. This is very much along the lines of the same train of thought that says you should go get an alignment on your car before taking a long road trip so you don’t wear your tires or other mechanical parts unevenly.)

Additional to spinal alignment we can also get you set up on a nutritional plan to make sure you get the maximum results from your workouts.

Many gyms do offer an introductory personal training session. It is a good idea to take this one session at the very minimum. You can talk with them about your goals and ask questions about machines and weight-bearing exercise. If it is in your budget, schedule a few more sessions until you feel you have the hang of it.

Once you feel the way to do an exercise properly you will realize the difference from an incorrect movement. The right way will allow you to focus on the muscle or muscle group being worked. When done incorrectly you are overcompensating with other body parts to complete the movement.

A great thought to go by is – when in doubt? Ask. It will save you time, frustration, wasted effort and even possibly save you from an injury.

If you are in the Southwest Florida area we invite you to visit the offices of Dr. Jason Kaster, D.C. before starting your exercise program. 239-332-2555. www.drkasters.com.