If you’re new to the gym or rarely exercise, always start slow. “Do something little every day,” Haley suggests. “Some of us go to the gym and think we need a full hour, and people get scared. The reality is, just half an hour for most days of the week is fine.”
Those 30 minutes can be broken up too. Haley recommends trying to get 10 minutes of exercise at three different times during the day. “Maybe I run 15 minutes in the morning, and after work I can get in my sit-ups and push-ups,” she says. “That goes for those of us who love to work out too. I am happier doing a little something every day than doing nothing at all for two days.”
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Also, whenever you attempt new moves or exercises, tread lightly. New movements require new muscular and neurological coordination. “These demands often recruit more muscular activity to perform the movement and additional demands for balance and agility,” says Danberg. “A weak elbow, wrist, shoulder or knee may fail if too much new physiological stress is applied too soon.”
This is especially true when it comes to exercises involving physioballs, medicine balls or plyometric movements — like jumping or throwing — since they require good balance and coordination to avoid injury.
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