Five awesome tips for working out!
Nothing has become more synonymous with American culture than that of exercise. For some people exercise is an escape, and the idea of lifting weights, cycling 20 miles, or sprinting throughout one’s area code while your neighbors sleep, is somewhat comforting and helps ground us or keeps us connected.
To others, exercise can be that distant relative that you are always trying to keep at bay. You want to see them, but it’s just too darn hard. You dread the thought of getting out of your comfortable bed at the wee hours of the morning and increasing that cardio, getting that blood pumping. You’d much rather stay lost in your dream de jour than drag yourself into your workout clothes and go outside where the street lights are still flickering to hear your heartbeat louder and your breath grow heavier.
Regardless, of the differences, people feel about working out, it is a necessary part of living and keeping fit. That is why at Amerisport, we encourage you to keep in mind these five important tips for working out!
#1. Warm-Up
This is a critical one to remember. Without a proper warm-up, one may cause unnecessary harm to their joints and muscles. And if you have never torn a muscle or sprained a joint, it isn’t fun. Warm-ups are crucial to heating up muscle tissue, improving tissue extensibility, decreasing internal tissue resistance, and increasing the amount of tissue deformation that can occur before you break the threshold into injury.
#2. Challenge Yourself
Challenging yourself and changing up your routine from time to time is a great way to stay motivated and engaged. If you happen to run along the river for 10 miles every morning, decide instead to run along the mountain trail for 10 miles or keep the same scenario and just go for an extra mile or two. Or if you’re lifting weights, change up how many reps versus sets that you do or the amount of weight that you lift. You will be amazed about how challenging yourself through variation can keep you going strong.
#3. Diet. Diet. Diet.
While there are several schools of theory on what one should eat before or after a workout i.e carb loading, juicy, fasting, protein consumption, etc.. the bottom line almost always comes down to what makes you feel good? What nourishment will allow you to stay focused and not feel like you are working out with a lead brick in your gut? And of course, what goes hand and hand with diet is water. Dehydration is real and our bodies desperately need hydration to work efficiently. So drinking plenty of water in your diet is a smart choice.
#4. Rest and Recovery
When one works out, be it cycling, running, yoga, lifting weights, etc.. one’s muscles and joints change. Muscles grow bigger and joints become stronger and more fluid. However, without proper rest and recovery, none of these important metamorphoses can take place. Our bodies need the pause to rebuild and restructure.
#5. Proper Workout Attire
Believe it or not, what you wear when you work out is almost as important as properly warming up. Because we are built with sweat glands as a mechanism for cooling off as we get hot or heat up during exercise, it is critical that you wear workout clothes that are moisture-wicking and breathable. The sportswear that is made with a blend of polyester and rayon or even 100% polyester is the best choice when working up a good sweat and not allowing yourself to overheat. Your body and mind will thank you later.
At Amerisport, we are all about patriotic sportswear. We want our customers to work out safely and wisely, and we strongly suggest the aforementioned five tips.
We also carry a full line of workout clothes in both 100% polyester as well as polyester and rayon blends for both men and women. If you have not found something that works for you or you’d be curious to see what we offer, we invite you to try us out!
At Amerisport, you can be “in your face” patriotic with your workout clothes or more subtle with our simple, discreet eagle logo. Either way, you’ll be proud and comfortable in your sportswear!
