It's never a bad thing to give yourself a boost in your workouts, but if you're doing too much too soon, you run the risk of injury.
One common mistake you may make is increasing the amount of exercise too quickly. Begin slowly and gradually increase the time and intensity of activity.
A proper warm-up and cool-down after physical activity allows the body to recover, and stretching will improve the flexibility of muscles and can decrease muscle soreness.
Staying properly hydrated before, during and after physical activity is also a key component to prevent dehydration and achieve peak performance.
What are some other common mistakes you should try to avoid?
- Do NOT increase the amount of exercise too quickly (i.e. either increasing weight, duration or distance)
- Do NOT skip the warm-up and cool-down
- Do NOT forget to stretch
John Gallucci, Jr., MS, ATC, DPT, shares why doing too much too soon can be damaging to your health.
The dynamic president of JAG Physical Therapy, John Gallucci, Jr., MS, ATC, DPT, is in demand for his expertise in injury prevention, rehabilitation, sports medicine and athletic training. He has appeared often on radio and television, including ESPN's award-winning Outside the Lines, Fox 5, PIX 11, MSG Varsity, NJ News 12, WFAN and is a popular public speaker.