1. Possibly the biggest mistake most men and women make when doing exercises is they do not warm up properly before beginning their exercise routine. When you stretch muscles which have not been warmed you increase your risk of injury dramatically. You should always (no exceptions) make sure your body is warmed up before you start any stretching. Remember stretching before you body is “warmed up” you are at far greater risk of injury.
Full-Body Flexibility by Jay Blahnik
any people do not perform stretching and and flexibility exercises wrongly thereby not stretching the right muscle and once again risking injury. Make sure if need be from watching a professional or a video from a qualified fitness expert as to how to perform stretching exercises and flexibility routines the right way.
3. Again ligaments can be damaged when exercises are not carried out the right way. Putting pressure on ligaments rather than stretching muscles is a common cause of sport related injury so the key is not to position the body where you put too much pressure on the ligaments.
4. Not keeping an eye on how much burden you put on your joint capsules. While stretching out, if you put more weight on your joints than they could safely stand, you increment the likeliness that you might damage them. Consequently, you should make sure you take appropriate precautions to avoid actions that can damage your joints, such as standing toe touches.
5.Performing a healthy balanced stretching regimen can be a outstanding and secure way of fending off unwanted injuries. To stave off the aftermath of stretching unequally (for example some muscles that receive insufficient attention are inclined to tighten up and contract, causing conditions such as rounded shoulders), it is crucial that you don’t stretch in one direction without balancing out that exercise by also stretching in the opposite direction.
6. Stretches must be carried out in a smooth non jerky movement to prevent strains and sprains.
7. Do not be tempted to stretch to you full extension which is just enough to apply a mild (moderate) stretch to the muscle. You should never stretch your muscles to the point that it becomes painful. After having carried out a stretch you could (without pushing it) try and extend the stretch just a little father but always is a smooth non jerky movement.
8. The need to carry out adequate stretching before any other from of exercise. How much is enough is a difficult question but a good guide is you need to stretch the major parts of the body for between 10 and 30 seconds using a static stretch. Static stretching is prefable as it reduces the risk of injury and and they can usually be carried out quickly and without the involvement of another person.
9. Most commonly injuries are caused when a man and woman do not carry out stretching often enough. Ideally everyone should carry out daily stretching exercises to keep limbs and muscles in good shape. By not stretching for few days most of the benefits of stretching are lost so this is why it needs to be an ongoing and regular process even if you do not have time for any other form of exercise.
10. Any person whether exercising regularly or not needs to remain flexible. In general terms the more flexible the body remains the easier and less prone to injury the individual. There is no point in working out and doing things like aerobic exercise, body building and muscle toning without paying attention to your flexibility. Without flexibility the risk of a injury is multiplied considerably during and even after any other form of exercise.
Free Flexibility Video: 5-Minute Stretch Routine
Warm up with Katrina for this simple 5 minute stretch routine to help increase flexibility and “perhaps” prevent injury.