7 tips for fitness safety

Check with your doctor   before starting a routine, especially if you’ve been sedentary, are obese, smoke   or have a medical condition such as hypertension.

• Wear proper protective gear. That means a helmet along with knee, elbow and wrist pads if you’re cycling or skating, for   instance.
• Always warm   up and cool down before and after your routine. If stretching exercises are part   of your warm-up, do “static,” or gradual, stretches, rather than “ballistic”   stretches, which call for quick, bouncing movements that increase the odds of   torn or sore muscles.
• Exercise at an even pace. If you can’t talk and   work out at the same time, slow it down. And stop immediately if you experience   nausea, lightheadedness, shortness of breath or chest pains.
• Choose   appropriate clothing–cool lightweight cottons in summer; warm layers in winter   (and don’t forget a hat, scarf and mittens).
• Abandon the “no pain, no gain” philosophy. Your   muscles should not “burn” or hurt while you’re working out.
• Whatever activity you choose, strive to achieve the best form possible. Torn muscles, strained joints and other, more serious, injuries often occur when attention is not paid to technique. 

Find your target heart rate

Exercises such as walking and bicycling improve heart and lung function by forcing the body to use more oxygen. They’re called aerobic exercise. To maintain aerobic fitness, all you need to do is participate in such an activity for 20 minutes or more at least three times a week and work at your target heart rate. your target heart rate declines with age. The table below shows the correct range during exercise for women between 45 and 65 years old.