Do’s in exercising

Get an exercise check-up- (ranzen) Before all the buzz, it is vital to check and assess your body’s
condition and capacity first. You never know what underlying conditions you may have. Negligence
might even cause further complications. Thus, cliché as it may be, prevention is always better than cure.
It would also be better if you would consult professionals.

Build your fitness gradually- (alnor) Although there is a strong impulse to seek for quick results, with all
your might, please learn how to do things at its right place. Just like everything else, exercise also has its
learning curve. It is a journey that takes a lot of processes. To clarify, all those scams about getting fit
within just two weeks or so may give you what you want but not what you need. It might cause other
side effects, such as getting twice as big as you are before and getting an injury. Thus, to be safe, try to
plan a more gradual, sustainable, and achievable exercise.

Warm-up- (Christian)This simple prelude to exercise is often perceived as insignificant. Some people
allot only minimal time or even nothing at all for this. However, just like dough, our muscles also need to
be warmed up, stretched, and prepared before it becomes malleable and easy to use. Without this, the
muscles would be hard to work with and are at risk for tears and other injuries.

Stretch more-(Joshan) Muscles, naturally, are flexible enough to reach a full range of motions in the
joints. Yet they need some practice and training to be able to use them in their full glory. Stretching
improves posture, decreases back pain, prevents injury, decreases muscle soreness, and even improves
blood circulation.

Bring a bottle and hydrate-(rayne) If you must know, water sets body temperature, loosens your joints,
and, most importantly, transports nutrients. Without all of these and no hydration, the body might not
be able to perform at its highest level. Thus, making us feel weak, in contrast to our real capacity. Water
also replaces the fluids we excreted through sweat after exercise. Therefore, preventing possible
dehydration and other complications.

Don’ts in exercising

Drink too much water-(Steph) Yes, water is essential. However, just like everything else, too much of
something can cause more harm than good. Gulping too much water may cause stomach cramps. Much
worse, it may also cause hyponatremia, which is the low amounts of sodium in the body, leading to
dizziness, slurred speech, and nausea.

Go nuts with food and drinks-(Ben) The same concept applies to this idea, too much of something is
dangerous. If your workout only lasts less than two hours, energy bars or sports drinks should be
unnecessary. Energy or protein bars may contain high amounts of unhealthy sweeteners. Thus, too
much of it increases the risk of fatty liver, obesity, and diabetes. Energy drinks also contain caffeine,
which would do good in the right amount and do harm if consumed excessively. Aside from giving you a
bloated feeling, caffeine intensifies dehydration further.

Repeat the same workout –(leah) Repetition can be a key for sustainability; however, it can also be
your downfall. It may not give you the benefits that you aspire. Instead, it may invite injury and waste of
time. It is essential to provide the different muscle groups some adequate rest and exercise because
continuous breaking down of the same muscle fibers might even decline its performance. For instance,
mix up types of cardio and strength may give you the benefits of reaping a more robust overall body.

Exercise through pain and injury- (ranzen)Worse aches and pains during workouts are the body’s way of
warning us that something might be wrong. Don’t ignore those red flags and take a break or lower the
intensity for a few minutes and observe. If it disappears, it is safe to go back, but if not, take a break and
wait for it to heal.

Skip rest-(Steph) In contrast to what we feel, rest is the most critical component in training. It is the
time where the muscles rebuild themselves and adjust from the stress experienced. In short, this is the
recovery time, and it is essential for growth. Therefore, skipping it may cause injuries, and opposite to
what you assume when you over-train, it makes progress slower.