As well as warming up and cooling down, there are a number of other things we have to take into consideration if we are to have a lesser risk free training regime. When training, we have to put our bodies under a certain amount of stress in order to increase our physical capabilities. As I am doing weight training, I have to be careful not to lift far to heavy weights that I cant handle. If I do lift heavy loads are inappropriate then a state of over-training/burnout or injury could happen.
I have to wear the appropriate kit while training. If I turn up to training in a woolly jumper, jeans and boots, I’m going to get very hot and exhausted, very soon. It is likely that an item of my ‘baggy’ clothing could get caught in the exercise machines that I am using. The appropriate kit for my type of training would be short sleeved t-shirt (or long sleeved tight t-shirt), shorts, and suitable trainers. One of the main things I have to remember is to drink lots of water/fluid to prevent dehydration. It has been proven that a 2% loss of sweat affects your performance; 4% loss of body fluid means the capacity of muscular work declines; 5% Heat Exhaustion; 7% Hallucinations and at 10% Circulatory collapse and heat stroke. This just shows how important it is to keep drinking fluids. Whilst training, I will always take an isotonic drink with me. Aswell as stopping me from dehydrating, it will replace salt that I lose through sweating.
When applying for your local gym they will give you a screening test. This is basically a questionnaire that asks you about past illnesses/diseases, any disabilities you have, exercise background, weather you smoke or drink, what your diet is like etc etc. This will give the gym vital information which will in turn provide the most suitable training programme for you.. For example, if you have high blood pressure, they will make sure you don’t go on the treadmill for too long.
Specific Training issues/Techniques It is important that you have the right exercise selection (what screening is useful for). If you have the wrong one, you could be doing yourself serious damage or you could not be getting any benefits from the training at all. It is also important to stick to rota week in and week out for the whole of your P.E.P period. This will ensure you will not be over-working yourself and make sure you are working yourself hard enough to see the benefits.
When training, outline checks need to be performed on equipment, facilities, conditions etc. You need to check that all equipment is safe to use and that you are using it in the appropriate manner. For example, checking that the machine is set at the right weight when machine weight lifting and making sure the benches are safe and level before using them. When lifting free weights, I will have a spotter with me to guide me and assist me when lifting heavy weights. After altering the weights on the end of the bar, I will use a clip. This will make sure that all the weights are secure and there is no chance of them falling of the end.
One of the techniques is to make sure that you are not ‘swinging into the movement’. this will take the workload off of the muscles therefore you are not training them as expected. You have to make sure that the facilities that you are using are fine aswell. For example, air conditioning units are on/windows are open so its not to hot. Make sure that your not going to slip up on the surface that you are running on by checking it before for spillages etc (if indoors), making sure the weather conditions are fine (No point going jogging if there is heavy rain, thunder and lightening). Make sure your safety comes first.
Personal Factors Many personal factors have to be taken into consideration before training. They can include age, gender, height, weight, illness, mental capability, injury etc. For example a 21-year-old isn’t going to have the same training as a 81 year old lady or an injured person isn’t going to do overload training as they would just injure themselves even more. From a local gyms, I have got a couple of screening tests and have filled them in. These have shown to me that I have quite a healthy lifestyle. I don’t smoke, I make sure I get the right amount of nutrients each day and I do rgular exercise. Although, it has shown me that I could also improve my lifestyle. I could possibly eat more protein rich foods and drink the required amount of water each day. (6 glasses) There are 4 different training methods each with their own pro’s and con’s.