Women’s fitness safety precautions

Don’t follow the male training template, don’t ignore individual differences in menstrual cycles, and don’t be superstitious about the unique correctness of “standard movements.” I have been involved in fitness for 8 years and have taught female students for 5 years. More than 90% of the fitness safety issues I have seen have been caused by these three mistakes.

Last month, something happened at the gym I often go to. A girl born after 2000 was practicing deadlifts with a male coach. The weight jumped directly from 20kg to 40kg. Within half an hour after practicing, she suffered severe pain in her lower abdomen and was sent to the emergency room. It was found that the corpus luteum was ruptured. Fortunately, she was sent to the hospital early without surgery. Later I found out that it was just a week before her aunt came. I was too embarrassed to tell the coach, and the coach didn't ask and just put on the weight according to the regular plan. There is actually no unified conclusion on the attitude of the sports medicine community towards luteal phase exercise. Conservatives believe that heavy abdominal pressure training, strenuous running and jumping should be completely avoided during the luteal phase. Even if you don’t feel it, you should take it easy. ； The other group believes that as long as there is no obvious chest bloating or lower abdominal bloating, it is absolutely fine to maintain training at 60% of the usual intensity, and it can relieve premenstrual syndrome. My own experience is that don’t bet on the odds. If your stomach feels heavy during the luteal phase and you feel tired even standing, just go for a walk or do upper body exercises honestly. Don’t hold on to the weight. If something happens to you, you will be the one to suffer.

Many people think that "if I pay attention to the cycle, it will be over." It is not that simple. I met a girl last week who was practicing hip thrusts with her boyfriend. The man easily pushed 60kg, but she insisted on pushing 50kg to prove herself. When she got up, she couldn't control the buckle of her knees, and she fell to her knees with a click. It was found that she had a second-degree meniscus injury, and she had to rest for three months. Women's knee Q-angle is on average 8 to 10 degrees larger than men's, and their shoulder glenoid is shallower. They are inherently more prone to sports injuries to their knees and shoulder joints than men. If they are trying to compete with men of the same training years in terms of weight and range of motion, they are simply taking advantage of their own physiological shortcomings. Of course, it doesn’t mean that women can’t lift heavy weights. There are many female athletes in the powerlifting circle who can lift 200kg. However, they all spend a year or two to clearly understand the muscle power generation model and correct all the compensation problems such as buckled knees and loose core before slowly increasing the weight. Ordinary enthusiasts can train two or three times a week, so don’t match the training intensity of professional athletes. It is really unnecessary.

There is another pitfall that is particularly easy to step into, which is to stick to "standard movements". Two years ago, I had a student who read on the Internet that her knees must not exceed her toes when doing squats, otherwise she would injure her knees. She had long legs and a short waist, so she stuck to this standard. When she squatted, her upper body almost touched her thighs. After practicing for two weeks, her waist hurt so much that she couldn't straighten up. She went to take a X-ray and found out that her lumbar disc had herniated. In fact, there has always been controversy about standard movements. The bodybuilding system emphasizes absolute standard movements, isolates muscles to exert force, and avoids compensation. ； The rehabilitation system emphasizes that the movements should be adapted to the individual's body structure. If you have tight hip flexion, you don't need to squat to parallel, and the length of your legs allows your knees to go beyond your toes. As long as there is no tingling or soreness on the target muscles when exerting force. Both statements are correct. When newbies first start practicing, don't get stuck on various standards. First, you can find a comfortable and painless force feeling for yourself, and then slowly adjust the details of the movements. This is better than anything else.

Oh, yes, there are also some minor safety issues that are easily overlooked. For example, don’t make too much effort in sports bras. If they are too loose, your breasts will sway badly when running and jumping. Long-term loosening of the Cooper ligament is irreversible. If they are too tight, you will not be able to breathe during exercise, and it is easy to become dizzy due to lack of oxygen. If you like to run at night or go to the park to practice, don't go to remote places. Carry a small alarm with a few dollars in your pocket. It will be more useful than anything else in case of trouble. When changing clothes in the locker room, don't throw valuables on the bench. I've seen my phone stolen more than once, which is annoying and delays things.

After all, fitness is all about your own comfort. Don't always be bound by the words "girls must develop peach butts" and "vest line is self-discipline". When practicing, feel your body more. Stop when it hurts and rest when you are tired. It is more effective than any safety guide.