Every now
and again I hear people make comments such as "you shouldn't lift heavy
weights, it's so bad for you and will hurt your back" or "don't do
those jumping workouts, they're terrible for your knees and ankles."
Well, from
the sound of it, people make these comments either from personal experience or
from hearsay. Regardless, neither is good enough! It's like sharing misguided
information or incomplete truths, which of course is in no way empowering to
you or the other person you're sharing with. So keep this in mind next time you
share fitness advice...
Any
exercise can be terrible for you if you do not execute with proper form; if you do not know the true
mechanics; or if you
do not perform the pre and post workout routine. So I suggest you study
or ask people who actually know what they're doing.
Let's use
the negative comment about jumping as an example: There are specific techniques
in the way you jump and the way you land that can keep you safe. If you do not
know those techniques well, you will eventually experience injuries.
Plus, if
you don't have an aerobic base to begin with, and you just go ahead and perform
the moves like you're invincible, then you can certainly expect injuries.
Furthermore, if you have weak knees/ankles or an injury from the past that you
did not properly attend to first, then you can also expect injuries.
So before
sharing any misguided conclusions, find out what it is that you may be missing,
and what you need to work on. It is not only up to the workouts to
improve you, it is also up to you to improve on your workouts.
Be patient
when working out. Always learn to start slow and focus on proper form/technique
and accuracy before you focus on speed, power or intensity.