Follow these tips to avoid injury and make the most of your exercise!

Start Slowly

If you jump right in with intensity, your muscles, heart, and lungs are not going to be ready for the strain! Starting slow isn’t only a good idea, it is THE ideal for any exercise. Your body needs to warm up. Be patient with yourself!

Breath

Don’t hold your breath as you exercise! This can cause a change in blood pressure. Despite the odd way it may feel, breathe out as you lift weights, and breathe in as you relax.

Hydrate

Unless your doctor advises otherwise, drink water throughout your exercise. In fact, it does a lot of good for your exercise if you drink a lot of water the night/day beforehand.

Protect Your Back

Back injury is common in exercise. Make sure that when you bend forward, you stretch at the hips, not the waist. If your back remains straight, you are likely doing it right. It might feel a little odd to lift weights this way, but it makes a huge difference!

Find out more at the National Institute on Aging