Put down the 300-pound barbell and stop those weird stretches before exercising; they actually aren’t helping your body, an expert says.
Although exercising can be beneficial, it must be done correctly and in the right amounts to have a positive effect. Some exercise habits actually can have an opposite effect on the body, causing physical harm or being overall ineffective. A common mistake made when exercising is jumping right into a vigorous activity or workout without the body being prepared. Jonathan Kermiet, a health educator at Olin Health Center, said starting exercises slowly can help deter injury if someone is the couch potato type.
“People should basically warm up slowly,” he said. “Don’t overstrain yourself or push yourself too quickly.”
Kermiet said a common mistake when it comes to aerobic exercise is running on sidewalks and streets, which can cause too much impact on the legs.
“I recommend people try to get off the road onto the grass or on trails,” he said. “You’re going to have to watch your footing a little better, but you’ll have a lot more long-term success with injuries if you can run on a softer surface.”
Running on roads can cause too much stress on joints and ligaments, Kermiet said.
Using off-road trails by areas such as near the Red Cedar River can be therapeutic as well as better for the legs, a technique dietetics senior Amy Carion often uses.
“I like running outside versus at the gym because it’s more scenic and there’s a good change in inclines,” she said.
Although running alone can help for focus, Carion said not to be turned off to the idea of running with friends because a peer’s influence can be a good motivator.
“My roommates encourage me to be physically active,” she said. “It makes it go by faster.”
Positive peer influence also can work when trying to have healthy eating habits, Carion said.
Another mistake people make is not stretching after they work out, a tactic not everyone is familiar with, Kermiet said.
Stretching after the workout can get rid of lactic acid, which causes soreness after a tough workout. It can also help with flexibility.
As for the beginning of the workout, instead of doing irrelevant stretches, begin by doing the planned activity slowly to warm up the body, Kermiet said.
“If you’re planning on going running, start out slow with a walk-jog,” he said. “Then when you’re winding down, do some stretching.”
When it comes to building muscle, often people will start out too quickly by lifting too much weight.
“The old adage, ‘no pain, no gain,’ really shouldn’t be thrown out there,” Kermiet said. “If you’re experiencing pain, that means you’re getting some muscle tearing.”
A common misconception about exercise is how often it should be done per week. Kermiet said depending on what someone’s goals are, four to five times per week is adequate.
“If you’re training for some type of event that requires a more specific type of training needs, that might change,” he said.
Instead of overexercising for a couple of hours per day, Kermiet recommends 40-45 minutes to an hour each time.
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“This is the same number regardless of whether you’re at the gym or at home,” he said.
Some students find their own methods of fitting the recommended weekly exercise time into their busy schedules.
Sarah Shapiro, a mathematics senior, said her exercise time is fulfilled by walking to class from her off-campus location on Burcham Drive.
In addition, Shapiro chose to take a step aerobics class for an elective credit.
“It’s definitely harder than I thought it’d be, but I’ll get used to it,” Shapiro said.
If a student does end up injuring themselves from an exercise mishap, Kermiet recommends taking it easy to keep the strain off of the hurt muscle or other body part.
“Take some time off,” he said. “A lot of injuries will heal themselves fairly quickly.”
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