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Spring is nearly here, mindfulness, safety and injury

Spring is nearly here, mindfulness, safety and injury

By Justin Moran

JustInTime PT Spring is nearly here, mindfulness, safety and injury Mindfulness and why we all need to become more mindful.

Working with many hard-working business owners, and many with demanding and stressful careers, it is becoming increasingly apparent for the need to be more mindful.

The pace of our lives is ever-increasing and living in the moment seems to be a thing of the past. When was the last time that you had the time to take a break, sit on a bench and watch the world go by along the banks of the Yarra?

Some examples of not being “in the moment” are taking selfies in beautiful locations and posting on Instagram or Facebook rather than just absorbing the moment or videoing live concerts when in the arena!

One thing that we actively encourage our clients to do is to use the “calm” app where you can sit down and take the “Seven days of calm”. It is a great introduction into 10 minutes a day of mindfulness and is a great start to getting life back on your terms.

One great example of the benefits and the cross-over to health, fitness and weight loss is a lady that I train three times per week.

She lost more than 20kgs when practising 30 minutes per night of mindfulness and stretching on her own. However, work and stress are getting the better of her and her weight is gradually creeping back up. Are you really safe from injury when training?

I write this as I hear of yet another story whereby someone has injured themselves attending a current popular group exercise modality.

When I asked if they had filled in a “pre-exercise readiness questionnaire” (PAR-Q) and her answer with a confused look was “no, should I have”?

One thing that I cannot stress enough to anyone either joining a group fitness class, acquiring the services of a personal trainer or having a fitness professional to design them an individual exercise program is to check on the qualifications and experience of the trainer or fitness business and make sure they are professional in how they conduct themselves.

I see way too many personal trainers in Southbank apartment gyms with no uniform, no paperwork, minimal if any equipment brought with them to sessions and the reality is that the fitness industry is made up of many dodgy and backyard operators.

Many are doing it “cash-in-hand” and if they are not asking you to fill in a PAR-Q (which should set off alarm bells) then you need, as a consumer, to ask why?

Do they have indemnity insurance and are they going to provide a safe exercise program to meet your needs, injury and pre-existing health conditions?

Remember – injury can be long-lasting or permanent! Spring is fast approaching – don’t just jump in the deep end!

With nicer weather approaching as we move into spring, this time of year coincides with many people that have been inactive for much of the year and throw themselves head first into their new found exercise regime!

Please be careful and use the theory of “crawl, walk, run”.

Start slow, allow adequate rest and recovery, eat and sleep well and increase time and intensity as your body and fitness level adapts.

For more information, exercise guidance or if you have any questions feel free to contact me.

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