As a podiatric physician, Selin Sakarcan puts a primer on health, especially when engaging in strenuous exercises such as sports and training.  She believes that before, during, and after physical and athletic training sessions, there are several safety measures that people have to observe to stay safe at all times.

On this blog, Selin Sakarcan lists five things that people need to remember when training to keep themselves safe at all times.

1. Make sure the place is nice and tidy before starting training.

Any equipment on the floor, from dumbbells, balls, and bands to boxes, barbells, and the like, are hazards to anyone training.  Before training, make sure the place is nice and tidy, or at the very least, people should keep their own workout space clear of any objects they may trip on, notes Selin Sakarcan.

2. A quick warm-up is a must before training.

Selin Sakarcan explains that the body’s many muscles and fibers are elastic, quite like rubber bands.  However, when they are cold and unused, they strain easily.  Warming up before training allows the muscles to become more elastic and flexible.  Stretching further achieves this for the workout ahead.  Not doing so may lead to muscle pain and, perhaps, worse, injury.

3. Observe the rules.

In gyms and other training facilities, there are rules in place.  Most of these rules are there mainly for everyone’s safety.  Strict observation of the regulations may mean wearing any safety gear if needed, staying in a single area while others are training, using only the prescribed equipment, and more.

4. Proper form matters.

While this reminder is mainly for people who lift weights, Selin Sakarcan mentions that it applies to people who play sports or simply exercise.  The consequences of the lack or absence of proper form may range from not getting enough of a training session to injury. 

5. Cool down and stretch after training.

Selin Sakarcan says that while cooling down and stretching after training may not be as important as warming up and stretching before training, the former should still be done – at all times.  Cooling down and stretching after training brings the body’s core temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate down in time for a bath,  ensuring proper circulation of oxygen and blood resumes.  Cooling down also reduces any muscle pain because of the regulation of blood flow.

Selin Sakarcan is a podiatric physician, medical resident, and foot and ankle surgeon.  For her undergraduate studies, she double majored in French and neuroscience with distinction in cellular and molecular neuroscience. For similar articles, click here.