7 Good Habits When In GYM

1. Always warm-up before exercising for a minimum duration of 10% of your total workout time. Warm-up means raising your body temperature by 1 degree through low-impact areobics: Fitness Buddy (FB) recommends brisk walking and/or doing jumping jacks.Warm-ups help improve your joints' range of movements; warm muscles are more flexible and prevents injuries.


2. Stretch immediately after warming-up; especially stretch those muscles you intend to workout, and FB recommends you stretch bigger muscles (eg Chest, Quadriceps) first and then smaller muscles (eg triceps, calves). If FB had a dollar everytime FB sees gym-users start running on treadmill or pumping weights without stretching, FB can buy yacht.


3. REHYDATE - drink alot of water before before, during and after workout. Every pound you lose during exercise, must be replaced with 1 pint (3 glass) of H20 to avoid dehydration. Don't wait until you are thirsty; by that time it is too late. Dehydration will cause your body to retain water when you actually should be flushing out the lactic acid build-up which will otherwise cause muscle aches the next day.


4. Proper Footwear is essential. Make sure the shoe has adequate sole pads to absorb your running weight and good arch and ankle support. Your knee joints will thank you for not stingeing on a decent pair of exercise shoes. FB recommends Brookes shoes which are good and inexpensive. Remember - shoes have a lifespan too. On average, a shoe will last you 200km before its time to change.


5. Wipe Your Own Sweat. For christ-sake, do you really expect strangers to wipe your sweat from the work bench. Get real, bring your own towel if gym does not provide one, and get that elbow grease working. Apart from hygiene purposes, sweat droplets will corrode metal and discolour plastics of treadmill panels faster than you can say jack robinson.


6. Put back weights after use: No need explanation. If so, you should not be operating heavy machinery.


7. BREATHE! Do not hold your breath when exercising; your muscles need lots of oxygen to perform all exercises. Exhale when you exert force such as lifting, raising, pulling, standing.