CARTZEDAN: Advice before doing sports

Friday 21 June 2013

Advice before doing sports

Seek medical advice

Before beginning or restarting any sporting activity, always seek medical advice.

Exercise regularly

It is advisable to participate in sport or exercise 2 - 3 times a week for 30 - 45 minutes for it to be of some benefit. This also prevents injury to muscles and tendons and keeps you supple. Avoid exercising intensively now and again. Try to keep active even if it's walking for 30 minutes every day.

A moderate 30 minute activity 5 times a week

Minimum duration 30 minutes
Moderate intensity (walking maintaining the same pace)
To be practiced at least 5 days/week

An activity of high intensity 3 times a week

Duration 20 minutes
High intensity (jogging)
Practiced 3 times / week

Warm up for approximately 10 minutes

Do not start exercising without warming up first. It is important to allow your body and muscles to warm up gradually and adjust.

Why warm up?

Warming up allows the muscles to warm up gradually
Warming up avoids injury and helps us to be stronger.

Duration of Warm Up

Take 10 - 15 minutes to warm up before starting any exercise.

Depending on the sport: A moderate jogging session requires approximately a warm up of 5 to 10 minutes, whereas a basketball match can require 15 minutes or more.
Dependent on the weather: your warm up time should be longer during the winter.

Warming up the lower part of the body

Run at a slow pace for a few minutes

Warming up the upper part of the body

Carry out flexing and extension exercises
Rotate the head in a circular motion

Know your limits

Do not push yourself beyond your limits
Do not go too fast
Do not be too rough
Listen to your body
Slow down the pace or stop for a few moments if pain appears
When restarting a sport or exercise, start out gently just once or twice a week moving to every other day as required. * Do not force yourself
Relax
Sleep well
Do not become too "obsessed" with exericse in order to avoid addiction.

Always stretch after each session

Stretching exercises performed after each session helps prevent the occurrence of injuries such as sprains, tendinitis, aches, pains and stiffness...

Stretch after sport for approximately 10 minutes in order to avoid rapid muscle cooling.
Stretching after exercise, allows the muscles to be more flexible.
Stretch each part of the body in turn, legs, arms for about 10 seconds while breathing deeply.

Sleeping

It is essential to sleep well and rest when participating in sports

Take care in extremes of temperature

When the weather is cold and dry or during times of strong heat, it is essential to slow down the rhythm and the intensity of your activity.

Hydration

Keeping hydrated is essential to avoid injuries such as tendonitis, cramps, tiredness, hyperthermia, digestive disorders and a decrease in performance.

Loss of water can be rapid during exercise.
Keeping well ydrated allows for better recovery.

Hydrate yourself by drinking before, during and after exercising

Do not wait to be thirsty to drink, especially when the weather is hot

Recommended quantities

Drink still water generally 2 hours before you exercise
During exercise: drink water in small sips and every 10 to 15 minutes, have 2 large mouthfuls of 100 to 200 ml
In high altitudes, drink more when the weather is cold or hot

Avoid tobacco, alcohol and drugs

Stop smoking, drinking alcohol and taking drugs in any form

Eat well

A healthy and balanced diet, rich in fruit and vegetables, helps avoid tiredness and injury.
The type of food eaten should be adapted to the sport or exercise undertaken as well as to the degree of its intensity.
Give importance to carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, and potatoes.