Last week I talked about injuries, how they happen and how we’re all susceptible to them. Kind of scary, huh? It almost makes you wonder why exercise if anyone can get injured. The answer is simple. The benefits of regular exercise far, far outweigh the potential risk of injury. Furthermore, there are some very important things you can do to significantly reduce your risk of injury. 

1. Work with a trainer.

If you’ve never exercised, or it’s been too long since you’ve seen the inside of a gym, or a fitness program is “new,” seek out a pro. Even if you are a seasoned fitness junkie, you’ll see huge benefits and a reduced risk of injury by working with the right trainer. 

2. Check your type-A at the door.

One sure way to hurt yourself is to do too much, too soon. It takes time to build strength, stability, and conditioning. Too much, too fast commonly results in time on the bench due to injury. 

3. Core, core, and more core.

Your core — not just your abs but your entire torso from your hips up to your armpits, front and back — is the backbone and key to your fitness. Without a strong core, other muscles are tapped to do work they weren’t designed to do, leading to a host of potential injuries. 

4. Ouch… That hurt….

Many of us, including hard-core exercisers like me, continue to work out through soreness and pain (shh… don’t tell Adrien). If something hurts, back off or slow down your pace. If the pain or discomfort lingers, seek the help of a professional. 

5. Strengthen your shoulders.

The shoulder is a relatively fragile joint compared to its lower body cousin, the hip. The shoulder only attaches to your skeleton via bone in one place: the clavicle. All the other connections float in a sea of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. With this much soft tissue responsible for an immense amount of work, keeping this body part in tip-top shape is essential. 

6. Work on mobility.

Mobility is critical to increasing strength and preventing injuries. Don’t confuse mobility with flexibility; they are not the same. Flexibility is a component of mobility, but it is not the only part of it. 

7. Take a load off.

Rest days (and nights!) are more important as you get older. It can be hard for some people (ME) to accept, but we do not recover as quickly after age 40 or 50 as when we're 20 or 30. So take at least one day off every week or, at most, go for a gentle walk. Remember to get plenty of quality sleep; that’s when we recover. One of the strongest predictors of injury is having suffered a previous injury. One of the best things you can do to prevent your risk is to ensure you follow injury prevention guidelines outlined above, as it may become harder to stay uninjured once an injury occurs.