Common Errors at the Gym ... Improper Form or Technique. The risk of injury is greater when people lift weights, use progressive resistance exercise machines or exercise on cardio machines using improper form. Proper form comes from the understanding of one or more of the following: the effect of gravity, internal muscle forces, joint structure, and the mechanical behavior of exercise machines, such as the line of pull of the machine, proper body size adjustments and joint axis/machine axis alignment. Injuries can result instantly or can occur insidiously after a prolonged practice of improper form. Lack of knowledge can also cause a greater waste of time resulting from ineffective exercise technique. Improper Intensity of Exercise. Excessive intensity of exercise can cause injuries to occur to joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. Excessive intensity can also cause damage to the cardiovascular system and even death or can overstress the body to the extent that the body is at an increased risk of illness (Impaired Immune System) or energy loss (Over-stressed Metabolic and Endocrine System). Inadequate intensity can be a waste of time, but is usually better than no exercise at all. Failure to Warm Up. A warm-up prepares the body for activity (1) by increasing body temperature so that metabolic rate increases gradually and (2) by increasing the elasticity of tissues. Warm-ups also give the cardiovascular system time to adjust blood flow to minimize strain on the heart. Stretching Errors Including Failure to Stretch. Some people never stretch, some people over-stretch, and some people bounce too much without knowing what they are doing. If you never stretch, you risk developing shortened muscles, pulled muscles and stiffness. If you over-stretch, you risk pulled muscles and ruptured or injured tendons. You also risk developing loosened ligaments. Ligaments help with joint stability. If ligaments become overly lax, a more serious orthopedic injury to the joint is possible. Bouncing is similar too over-stretching and generally discouraged. Bouncing is also known as ballistic stretching. I have to admit I used to watch Walter Payton bounce a lot when he stretched during practice and before games. I think he only missed one game in his entire career because of an injury. Failure to Cool Down. A Cool Down helps prevent cardiovascular collapse. An intensely working body counts on the movement of limbs for adequate return of blood to the heart. A sudden dramatic decrease in activity can cause blood to pool in the extremities and not be adequately available for the heart and brain. Inadequate Water Intake. Water keeps the body from overheating and helps the body carry electrolytes for normal functioning of muscles. Improper Re-Fueling after the Workout. You need to know your goals and your immediate energy needs to know how to re-fuel properly. Many athletes who need to recover well for another training session on the following day require a high glycemic intake immediately following the training session, followed by a substantial meal about an hour later. High glycemic foods help the body replenish glycogen more effectively, which improves recovery. People with weight loss goals may not care as much about immediate recovery, but may want to keep their body's fat sources under the attack of an energy-seeking body. They might focus on water replenishment for the post-workout hour or a small hunger-satisfying meal with low glycemic index until the next major meal. Improper Nutritional Supplementation. Watch out for supplements. Some are a waste of money and some are dangerous. The best advice on supplements should be obtained from a Registered Dietitian or Nutrition-Trained Medical Doctor. Crowding and Safety Precautions. Avoid having the bad luck of being to close to someone how drops weight on your foot or worse on your head -- that could be fatal. Over-crowding in gyms increases the risks of accidents, such as weight plates slipping off and striking someone nearby. Clean/Contamination Precautions for Contagious Disease Prevention. Avoid these actions that could transmit disease: walking barefoot to and from the shower, sitting naked on the locker room floor or benches without a towel, placing the face or other bare skin directly on exercise bench pads or seats, and failure to practice handwashing after touching equipment handles and before eating or touching your eyes, nose or mouth (e.g., disease related to E.Coli, Athlete's Foot Fungus, Body Ringworm, or the Common Cold Virus). Failure to Check that a Machine is Safe to Operate. One of the most serious errors seen is when people hop on a treadmill that is already running without the expectation that it is running. The moving belt can send an unsuspecting person flying to serious injury. Other simple checks are cable integrity and proper locking of the seat adjustment mechanism before sitting down. Machines that are powered by electricity should be checked to confirm that none of the moving parts have frayed or eroded the electrical insulation. People should also use spring collars or make sure weights on dedicated barbells and dumbbells are tight so the weights don't fall off during exercise. Failure to Approach an Exercise Machine with Human-Machine Interface Attitude with the Human in Control. Most machines have a start and a finish. On cardio machines, people often fail to approach the machine display looking for and understanding the three important controls: Start, Program, and Stop. A well-designed machine should be able to guide a person with clear instructions. When you approach a cardio machine, expect it to have three classes of instructions: Start, the choice and explanation of programs, and a stop button (preferably red and easy to reach).               BACK to TOP 10 INDEX | BACK to ABOUT PERSONAL TRAINING | BACK to Aprioriathletics.com/personaltraining HOME | Site Map | Center Stage | Our Solutions | Our Satisfied Clients | Fitness Topics PFP Newsletter | Company Profile | Contact Information | Help | Glossary | ?Mark | About the Author | Disclaimer ©Copyright 2000 Apriori, Inc. All Rights Reserved. APRIORIATHLETICS and Progressive Fitness Personality are Service Marks of Apriori, Inc. All products mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.