Exercise Safety
The weather is warming up for the spring and who doesn’t want to get OUTSIDE and exercise! Exercising outside can be fun, refreshing, and even challenging……but make sure you take these exercise safety precautions before heading out.
A recent experience of mine sparked this post on exercising and safety. A few days ago, I was out in the neighborhood running and was bitten by a dog. I did not have a stick or pepper spray with me to get the dog away, so I had to try and use my “mean” voice. Luckily, a few guys were driving by and I waved them down and they stopped. They distracted the dog while I was able to sprint around the corner to get away. Thankfully, I was wearing heavy sweatpants, so the dog was unable to break the skin on my leg, but it left a huge teeth mark bruise.
I wanted to talk to you about some of the dangers of exercising outside (or inside too) and how we can avoid these so called dangers.
Dogs (bears, lions, tigers, moose, alligators)- After my little incident with the dog, I have learned that pepper spray can be very effective. The pepper spray will not harm the animal, but it will scare it so that it leaves you alone and goes back to where it came from. If you spray the animal in the nose and then again in the butt when it turns around, the animal will not bother you (or anyone else) again. As well as using pepper spray, you should tell the dog to back away, NO, and slowly walk to the other side of the street away from the animal.
Ice or Sand– When running on ice or sand, you have to be really careful with your footing. If you are exercising on top of ice/snow, make sure you stick to the crunchy parts of the snow. Also, there are special treads you can put on your running shoes to help with traction. If you are exercising in the sand, you might not slip as easily if on ice, but you are more likely to twist and ankle or knee. Running on softer sand is more of a challenge, so you should really watch where you are stepping each time. Make sure you have good running shoes with a little ankle support.
Health History– Before beginning any exercise program, make sure you know your health history and family history. By knowing these important facts, it can help rule out any underlying health concerns that could worsen with exercise. If you answer yes to any of these questions, make sure you consult your doc before exercising! Do you have a heart condition that you should only do physical activity when recommended by a doctor? Do you feel pain in your chest when doing any physical activity? Do you lose balance because of dizziness? Do you have bone or joint problems (ex: knee, back, hips)? Do you have high blood pressure?
Staying Hydrated– Dehydration can be very serious and dangerous! When your body starts exercising, your heart starts pumping faster and faster, and you are pretty much guaranteed to start sweating. The more you sweat, the more water your body loses. You should drink water before, during, and after exercise. If you start feeling dizzy, or start vomiting, you are in the stages of heat exhaustion.
- Before exercise- drink 8-16 oz of water two hours before exercise and another 4-8 oz immediately before heading out the door.
- During exercise- drink 4-8 oz every 15 minutes
- After exercise- drink all fluid you have lost. If you weighed yourself before exercise and again after, you will want to drink 16 oz of water for every POUND of body weight lost during exercise. In hot humid weather (like Charleston and Columbia), you will need to drink more than the norm.
Heat– Exercising in the heat can be very dangerous. If you don’t pay attention to what your body tells you, you could end up in the hospital with heat exhaustion or stroke. Some signs of heat exhaustion include general fatigue, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, muscle cramps, and increased body temp. Trust me…..you will know when it starts happening. If you let it go past heat exhaustion and end up with a heat stroke, you will stop sweating, lose consciousness, which can eventually lead to death! Here are some tips that will help you exercise on those hot summer days in the south:
- Acclimate yourself to the warmer weather. It takes your body about 14 days to adjust to temperature changes.
- Stay hydrated
- Wear light clothing
- Don’t exercise in the heat of the day
- Don’t try for a PR…slow down just a little and let your body take control
- Use common sense- don’t go out on the hottest day of the year and expect to run your route in record time.
People– Unfortunately, in this day in age…..we HAVE to be aware of the people around us. I am always looking around me, avoiding tall bushes, ally’s, and scary neighborhoods. Call me crazy…..but I am seriously always on the look out and ready to defend myself if need be. If you are outside exercising, please be aware of your surroundings too. Do not run at dawn or dusk by yourself. Its just common sense. These are the prime times that people like to attack women who are alone. Just be smart and DON’T do it! Grab a friend if you have to exercise at those times or either take it inside to a gym. We hear about women all of the time who are attacked while out exercising. I have taken Krav Maga self defense and I highly recommend it. Any formal self defense training will help you to keep your cool and teach you how to avoid a dangerous situation and how to get out of one.
Travel– If you travel frequently for work and want to get out of the hotel for exercise, make sure you know the area. Ask the front desk if your hotel is in a safe area. If it is, always take your phone with you in case you get lost or need to contact anyone. If you don’t want to leave your hotel, try one of BarBelles Traveling Women workouts that you can do right in your own room.
I hope that these tips help you this spring/summer while exercising. If you have any other questions about exercise safety, please don’t hesitate to ask! Happy Exercising!
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