Selin Sakarcan on How to Stay Safe in the Gym
Safety Precautions in the Gym: A Comprehensive Review By SELIN SAKARCAN
While everyone who exercises has goals, Selin Sakarcan says that one’s priority when
working out should always be safety. Unfortunately, many gym-goers take safety
rules and regulations for granted. Doing so could have disastrous results.
On that note, Selin Sakarcan shares seven of the most important rules to remember for a safe workout.
Warm Up, Stretch, and Cool Down
A workout’s warm-up, stretch, and cool-down portions are some of the most overlooked areas in a routine. Not warming up and stretching the muscles and joints may lead to injury during working out. Selin Sakarcan adds that not cooling down and stretching after a workout routine may cause muscle pain or discomfort later.
Proper Form
Many factors cause a person to abandon form during workouts. People should learn to adjust to keep their posture correct, whether they feel fatigued or the weights are too heavy. Lifting weights without proper form can lead to injuries.
Neatness
One of the most important rules in a gym or at home is to keep the place neat after working out. Not only will it keep one safe, but it will also keep other gym-goers safe. Leaving around objects such as dumbbells, plyometric boxes, bands, balls, barbells, and the like may cause injury. Even one’s shoes, bags, and other belongings should be neatly kept out of the workout area.
No Jewelry or Watches
Another rule people tend to forget is to take off all jewelry and watches, points out Selin Sakarcan. Working out requires intense movements that generate a lot of force. Having jewelry and watches may end up scratching a person, not to mention ruining the jewelry and watches themselves.
Rest and Sleep
When people don’t get enough rest or sleep, blood circulation is forced to its limits, muscles aren’t in optimum condition, and joints are fatigued. Numerous incidents of sleep-deprived people injure themselves or suffer stroke-like symptoms while working out. If you don’t get decent sleep, you should avoid working out, says Selin Sakarcan.
Awareness of Surroundings
People should always mind their surroundings, especially when executing movements that take up space. Being mindful and conscious of your surroundings while working out can help prevent injuries to yourself and others.
Hydration
The more a person works out, the hotter their body gets, and the more sweat they produce to cool the body down. The amount of sweat that leaves the body should be replaced. Dehydration can lead to loss of consciousness as well as other health problems. It is always important that you replace the lost liquid with water.
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.