Fitness Tips to Get Ready for Summer

Summer is rapidly approaching, and we’re already able to start enjoying many of our favorite outdoor activities. While this is an exciting time of year, it’s critical to make sure your body is ready to handle the increased activity levels afforded by warmer weather. Early summer is a time when you’re using many muscle groups again for the first time after a months-long layoff and if you’re not in the proper shape, you may increase your risk of a sports injury.

The following fitness tips will help make sure your body is ready for the rigors of summer so that you can experience peak performance when engaging in your favorite outdoor activities.

Create an Exercise Plan

Regular exercise is critical to your ability to get your body in shape for your favorite summer outdoor activities. But the common mistake made by many people is failing to create an exercise plan. Simply going to the gym without a purpose or doing the same workouts every day will fail to provide the full body conditioning you need. To avoid this issue, you need to make a concrete exercise plan and stick to it.

When creating your exercise plan, think carefully about the muscles you use in your favorite activities. Make sure your plan addresses these areas to ensure you have the proper strength and conditioning to perform your favorite activities at peak levels. You should also include cardiovascular exercises in your plan to ensure you have the proper conditioning to hold up during a long hike, bike ride, or climb that goes for several hours.

If you’re not sure how to create an effective exercise plan to prepare your body for your favorite activities, you should consider working with a personal trainer who can help make sure your routine will achieve your desired outcome.

Have an Accountability Partner

Creating an exercise plan is important for several reasons. Not only will it ensure you’re focusing on the right muscle groups for your favorite activities, but it will also increase your likelihood of sticking with your routine. But you can never have too many sources of motivation when trying to get in shape, and a great way to stay motivated is to enlist a gym buddy. When you have a workout partner, your routines will be more fun. More importantly, you’ll be able to hold each other accountable and motivate each other when your fitness regimen gets hard.

Mix Up Your Workouts

Doing the same workout over and over again can begin to feel like a chore, making it harder to stick with it. But more importantly, doing the same workout all the time will prioritize certain muscle groups at the expense of others. To avoid these issues, it’s best to mix up your workouts.

Make sure your workout routine includes a balance of cardio exercise, core strength building, and weight training. You don’t need to include all of these different exercises every time you work out, but they should all be mixed into a regular rotation.

When you’re doing weight training, try to include a mixture of body weight exercises such as pushups and squats along with free weights. When doing cardio workouts, high intensity interval training (HIIT) routines can be an effective way to get your heart rate up and get significant results in a short period of time.

More Reps, Less Weight

Lifting the heaviest weights you can won’t necessarily deliver the best results. In fact, this can potentially increase your risk of injury. Instead, use lower weights and increase your total rep count. Then gradually build up the weight over time as you get stronger and your body is better equipped to handle the increased weight load.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Your body needs the proper fuel while you’re ramping up your fitness efforts. Eating a healthy diet will ensure you have energy when you work out and it will allow your body to reap the maximum benefits from your fitness efforts. Make sure your diet includes plenty of:

• Dark leafy greens
• Whole grains
• Healthy fats (avocado, nuts, etc.)
• Lean protein
• Fruits and vegetables

Avoid sugary, processed and packaged foods as much as possible.

Hydrate

Staying properly hydrated will speed up your metabolism, help your body perform at higher levels, and reduce your risk of injury. Make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day as well as during your workouts.

Listen to Your Body

Your body needs rest to recover after a strenuous workout. While you’ll want to get regular exercise most days of the week, be mindful of the need for “off days” where your body can truly recover. If you’re ever feeling tired or rundown after several days in a row of strenuous workouts, give yourself a rest day to prevent injury.

Colorado Advanced Orthopedics Can Help After a Summer Sports Injury

Even if you put in the hard work to get in shape for your favorite summer activities, there’s always a possibility that an injury can occur. If you suffer a sports injury this summer, Colorado Advanced Orthopedics can help. We offer comprehensive orthopedics and sports medicine services to address a wide range of injuries.

Our team consists of some of the most highly trained, board-certified and fellowship trained orthopedic surgeons on the Western Slope. In addition, our surgeons are supported by a team of sports medicine doctors who provide minimally invasive, nonsurgical treatments for injuries that don’t require extensive surgery.

You’ll also benefit from working with our in-house physical therapy team. They provide the exceptional quality care you need to rehab from your injury and regain full strength and function. In addition, our physical therapists work closely with your orthopedics and sports medicine team, ensuring all phases of your treatment plan are aligned. This will help you achieve the best possible outcome.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment. Colorado Advanced Orthopedics serves patients in Meeker and throughout the White River Valley.