Assess your progression carefully<\/p>\n
A rule of thumb for many personal trainers is to progress your workouts at no more than a rate of 10 per cent per week. Taylor thinks even that might be too much. \u201cIncreasing exercise by 10 per cent week in, week out is really going for it,\u201d he says. \u201cThe initial fitness gain is quicker but you will begin to plateau after a few weeks and you would be better off looking at progression in single figures, such as 3-5 per cent per week.\u201d <\/p>\n
A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine last year confirmed that for runners the 10 per cent progression rule might be too severe. Rasmus Oestergaard Nielsen, a researcher in the study, said: \u201cWe suggest that no more than a 5 per cent increase in distance for a run seems the appropriate balance between improving fitness and risking injury for a healthy person of a normal weight.\u201d <\/p>\n
Be aware of what and how you are progressing other workloads. \u201cYou should only increase one element at a time,\u201d Taylor says. \u201cIn the gym a big mistake is to hike up the number of reps and the weight or to push further as well as faster on any cardio equipment each week.\u201d That, he says, is a recipe for disaster. <\/p>\n
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Wearing the wrong sort of shoes while exercising can increase the risk of stress fractures<\/p>\n
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Cross-train your way to reduced injury risk<\/p>\n
Harvard University scientists recently showed that a mixture of exercises increases longevity, possibly as a result of different activities providing different physiological benefits, with the effects amplified when they are combined. But Taylor says that cross-training will also reduce your risk of injury by varying the stress on muscles and joints. Doing the same sort of exercise \u2014 be it running, cycling or weight training \u2014 every time leads to repetitive loading and stress on the same body parts, a risk for aches and strains. <\/p>\n
\u201cSwitching up exercises and routines is important as it means the body is loaded and challenged in different ways,\u201d he says. \u201cWith different joints and muscle groups being worked the risk of overuse or repetitive injuries is reduced.\u201d <\/p>\n
Factoring in rest days is also important. \u201cActive recovery days, when you do gentle exercise such as walking, are when the body carries out the repair and rebuilding of tissues \u2014 an integral part in making you stronger and healthier,\u201d Taylor says. \u201cThey are particularly important when people are starting out and should be factored in every 3-4 days.\u201d<\/p>\n