Seven tips to help men stay safe in the gym

Gyms are an enduringly popular way for men to get fit and stay in shape. In the US alone, there are almost 40,000 gyms that people use regularly to keep healthy. While it can be easy to just sign up one day and begin working out the next, it does require a little more thought than that. Anyone using a gym should be aware of how important it is to stay safe when working out there.

Why is this such a big deal? In simple terms, being aware of safety in a gym environment stops you from getting hurt and from others getting hurt also. Gyms have many heavy objects and moving machines that could cause damage if not used safely.

Effective ways to stay safe in any gym

Even experienced gym goers need to constantly be on the lookout for any dangers that could become apparent when powering through a session. Although it is easy to get lost in your routine, this is when accidents can sometimes occur.

Here are some great tips for staying out of trouble when at the gym:

• Get checked over regularly – very often, you will hear men being advised to consult a medical professional before starting out on a workout plan. This is with good reason – any underlying and undetected conditions such as heart disease could prove fatal when combined with too much strenuous activity. To stay safe in your gym, make sure that you are fit to be there in the first place with annual health check-ups at your doctors.
• Warm up and cool down – to keep safe at the gym and prevent injury, both warming up and cooling down are advised. Warming up gets your body ready for the more hardcore exertion to come and gets the blood to your muscles so that they will not strain or tear. Cooling down afterwards allows your body to recover from your session gradually. Both are important, so make sure that you do them!
• Do not overexert yourself – a real bugbear of gym safety is trying to do too much, too soon. This is most commonly seen with weights when people try to lift amounts that they simply cannot manage. In the end, this sort of overexertion will result in injuries and mean time spent not being able to exercise. It is much better to start off with a lower weight or lower setting on any machine and then gradually build up what you can do.
• Keep the gym tidy – there will be other people in the gym and many will be moving from one piece of equipment to another. With this in mind, do not leave any obstructions lying around where people could trip over them. If you spot anything that is a trip hazard, then take the initiative to move it before anyone is harmed.
• Be mindful of what is going on around you – it goes without saying that when you work out, you should always be careful of how what you do may affect anyone in close proximity. After all, no one wants a medicine ball in the face if you twist with it as they walk past! Be sure to apply this to what others are doing when you walk around. Not everyone may be as careful, so it could be up to you to spot danger and avoid it.
• Wipe equipment before and after use – men go to gyms to work out, which means that they sweat. The problem can be that some do not wipe down the benches or machines they have been lying on after use. This can be a real health hazard as it means that their germs are left for the next person to pick up. To stay safe, wipe down the equipment with provided paper towels and spray before use. Do the same after you use it as this is good gym etiquette.

Compression socks for men

Compression socks for men are a great way to stay safe and avoid injury. This special kind of gym wear supports the whole foot and areas such as the Achilles tendon when working out. It also allows blood to flow to the muscles of the foot for increased stability and performance. Even better, they can be worn all day, so you can wear them to work, ready to visit the gym later.

Stay safe when hitting the gym

Most men love to work out and get some quality time in at the gym. With its many health benefits, from boosting your immune system to building muscle, it really is worthwhile. Just make sure to take the above tips on board for keeping safe when you do. This will mean that you get the maximum benefit from your fitness regime and do not end up hurting yourself.