5 Rules Every Fitness Rookie Needs to Know

5 Rules Every Fitness Rookie Needs to Know

Expert tips to stay safe while you sweat

By Cathryne Keller for fitbie.com

You'll feel better! You'll look better! You'll live longer! Most of us are aware of the gajillion researched-backed benefits of working out, but that doesn't mean starting up a fitness routine is a risk-free move. Whenever you challenge your body in new ways, you stand the chance of getting hurt.

MORE: 9 Things You Should Never Wear to the Gym

That said, the pros of a fit lifestyle far outweigh the potential cons. "The benefits of maintaining a fitness routine include decreasing your risk of heart disease, gaining energy, losing weight, and lowering your risk of diabetes," says Derek Ochiai, M.D., board certified orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine expert in Arlington, Virginia.

Here, Ochiai names the five lessons fitness rookies should know before lacing up their sneaks:

Rookie Rule #1: Don't Overdo It
Deciding to push yourself hard and fast from the get-go increases chances of an overuse injury such as tendinitis, which can be painful and prevent you from working out all together.

MORE: How to Prevent 3 Common Gym Injuries

Rookie Rule #2: Don't Compete with the Gym Rat Next to You
Instead of trying to match weights or pace with another gym-goer, compete against yourself. You'll decrease your risk of injury—and discouragement—if you incrementally increase the best you can do over time.

Rookie Rule #3: Don't Cram in a Workout
We're all busy, but it's essential to build in warm-up time and a post-workout stretching session in order to curb soreness and avoid hurting yourself.  

Rookie Rule #4: Don't Get Cocky with the Weight Machine
Machines make it easy to pack on pounds, which can give you a false sense of security. If you increase the resistance too quickly, you run the risk of an overuse injury.

MORE: 6 Exercises You’re Probably Doing Wrong

Rookie Rule #5: Don't Assume You Can Pick Up Where You Left Off
Getting back in the gym after a lengthy break requires you to build back up to your previous fitness level. It took time to get there, so it'll take time to get back.

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5 Major Stretching Mistakes—and How to Fix Them

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