What are safety precautions while performing exercise?

Take five to 10 minutes to warm up and cool down properly. Plan to start slowly and boost your activity level gradually unless you are already exercising frequently and vigorously. Be aware that training too hard or too often can cause overuse injuries like stress fractures, stiff or sore joints and muscles, and inflamed tendons and ligaments. A mix of different kinds of activities and sufficient rest is safer. Listen to your body. Hold off on exercise when you're sick or feeling very fatigued. Cut back if you cannot finish an exercise session, feel faint after exercise or fatigued during the day, or suffer persistent aches and pains in joints after exercising. If you stop exercising for a while, drop back to a lower level of exercise initially. For strength training, good form is essential. Initially use no weight, or very light weights, when learning the exercises. Never sacrifice good form by hurrying to finish reps or sets, or struggling to lift heavier weights. Choose clothes and shoes designed for your type of exercise. Replace shoes every six months as cushioning wears out. For most people, simply drinking plenty of water is sufficient. But if you're working out especially hard or doing a marathon or triathlon, choose drinks that replace fluids plus essential electrolytes. Exercising vigorously in hot, humid conditions can lead to serious overheating and dehydration. Slow your pace when the temperature rises above 70°F. On days when the thermometer is expected to reach 80°F, exercise during cooler morning or evening hours or at an air-conditioned gym. Watch for signs of overheating, such as headache, dizziness, nausea, faintness, cramps, or palpitations. Dress properly for cold-weather workouts to avoid hypothermia. Depending on the temperature, wear layers you can peel off as you warm up. Don't forget gloves.

Start slow if you have not been physically active for a while. This will help you stick with it and avoid injury. Use safety equipment. For example, wear a helmet for bike riding or supportive shoes for walking or jogging. Warm up to your workout. Spend five to 10 minutes doing a “light” version of your workout. Drink plenty of fluids when you are physically active, even if you are not thirsty. Always bend forward from the hips, not the waist. Stop being active if you feel very out of breath, dizzy, or nauseated or have pain. If your chest feels tight or painful or you feel faint or have trouble breathing, stop the activity right away. Always call 911, or have someone call for you, if you lose consciousness, cannot breathe, have uncontrollable bleeding, or have a serious injury like a broken bone.

Ensure your home exercise space is clear, this means you need to forward plan what sort of exercises you will be doing, and ensure you have a space big enough that is clear of any slip, trip and fall hazards such as toys, pets, rugs, children, furniture etc. Ensure your home exercise environment is right for you, this means the temperature should be not too cold, but also you ideally don’t want the heating to be on whilst you are exercising as you may feel too warm. The recommended temperature for exercising indoors is 20-22.2 degrees Centigrade or 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit. Also check that the lighting is not too dark or too bright, and there isn’t any kind of glare in your eyes from the television, or from the sun outside. Wear loose comfortable clothing, don’t wear anything too restrictive as that is likely to make the exercises uncomfortable to do and might mean that you can’t complete the exercise to the full range of movement required. You can lose around one and a half litres of fluid for every hour of exercise, so drink water before, during and after a session. Have at least one recovery day each week to rest, mild soreness over one to two days is normal but acute bone or joint pain that does not subside with time means you are doing something wrong. Also make sure you have had any medication that you might normally take. Warm up before, and cool down afterwards, a warm up takes place before the main exercise session starts and should be for a minimum of five minutes and should include light intensity cardio exercise such as marching on the spot to gradually increase your heart rate as well as some mobility exercises to get you ready for your workout ahead. Be careful what you watch online, whilst there is a lot of great video content available online, unfortunately there is also some content which shows incorrect technique and instructions which may lead to you having a poor workout, and worse, injuring yourself. Make sure your equipment is safe to use, if you are using any equipment such as resistance bands, dumbbells or an exercise ball make sure you have ordered it from an approved fitness equipment provider, and it appears to be in good working condition. Always read any instructions before you begin. Check your technique and follow the teaching points, if you aren’t sure about whether you are using the right technique try and do the exercise in front of a mirror, or ask someone to watch you whilst you do it.

When planning an exercise program, it’s important to consider factors such as age and health history as well as personal strength and stamina. Before starting an exercise routine, especially a potentially strenuous one, be sure to consult a health care professional for approval and safety guidelines. Some exercise safety precautions include wearing the appropriate gear and staying hydrated. Taking time to warm up and cool down allows the body to transition in and out of periods of activity safely. To promote safety during physical activity, health experts usually suggest moderation and regularity.