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Yoga: You're Taking Cues From the Wrong Person
No. 1 Mistake: You roll out your yoga mat in the wrong spot.
Where you set down your mat does matter. Don't think that standing in front means you'll get the best view of the instructor -- he or she will spend much of the class walking around to correct poses. And although hanging in the back might be more comfortable for your new-to-yoga ego, McGee says beginners can get lost without a clear view of the poses.
And another thing: wearing baggy clothes and loose t-shirts that fly up over your face half the class is not only embarrassing, it'll also distract you from the poses. You can't properly downward dog if you're trying to tuck your shirt into your pants.
The Fix: Instead of cowering at the back of the class, praying the instructor doesn't come around to "fix your form," McGee advises that you pay for a few one-on-one sessions -- it's worth it. "That way, you can make sure you're doing the exercises correctly and pushing yourself hard enough," she says. In a group class, stand in the middle, where you can see advanced students in front of you.
And invest in some spandex -- trust us, they're way more comfortable than those baggy pajamas you're wearing.
You're finally following through on that New Year's resolution. You'll get to the gym, sign up for that 10K and come up with a workout plan. But before you do, consider this: Every year, more than 174,500 women end up in the ER with an exercise-related injury. The No. 1 cause of exercise-related injury? "Overenthusiasm," says Dr. Joseph Horrigan, a board certified chiropractic sports medicine practioner at DISC Sports & Spine Center in Los Angeles.
Horrigan says many women who are new to a workout feel good when they start to train, and push themselves too hard. The combination of overdoing it and a competitive streak (no one wants to feel like they can't keep up) often leads to injuries -- whether it's a yoga mistake, CrossFit injury or SoulCycle slip-up.
"When you start a new workout plan, really ask yourself, 'When is the last time I did this?' If the answer isn't 'recently,' pull back," says Horrigan.
While everyone knows what the end game is -- how many pounds you want to lose, or miles you want to run -- Horrigan says few of us actually have a real workout plan to get there. "[Most people] don't appreciate that it takes time to change your physiology," he says.
His advice? "Put to rest forever the idea of 'no pain, no gain.' Create short term goals that are achievable."
Easier said than done, with so many of today's fitness trends focused on pushing you to your limit. We asked seven instructors of the most popular workouts (yoga, CrossFit, SoulCycle, swimming, dance workouts, barre and running) what the most common workout-related injuries are and how to avoid them, so you can get fit and stay healthy. That's the point, right?
Horrigan says many women who are new to a workout feel good when they start to train, and push themselves too hard. The combination of overdoing it and a competitive streak (no one wants to feel like they can't keep up) often leads to injuries -- whether it's a yoga mistake, CrossFit injury or SoulCycle slip-up.
"When you start a new workout plan, really ask yourself, 'When is the last time I did this?' If the answer isn't 'recently,' pull back," says Horrigan.
While everyone knows what the end game is -- how many pounds you want to lose, or miles you want to run -- Horrigan says few of us actually have a real workout plan to get there. "[Most people] don't appreciate that it takes time to change your physiology," he says.
His advice? "Put to rest forever the idea of 'no pain, no gain.' Create short term goals that are achievable."
Easier said than done, with so many of today's fitness trends focused on pushing you to your limit. We asked seven instructors of the most popular workouts (yoga, CrossFit, SoulCycle, swimming, dance workouts, barre and running) what the most common workout-related injuries are and how to avoid them, so you can get fit and stay healthy. That's the point, right?
