Friday, October 16, 2009

Ready, Set, Wait a Minute!

This week I began teaching some classes at a new facility at Cordillera Ranch. It's a beautiful community outside of Fair Oaks Ranch. Part of my position there involves providing waivers of liability for the participants to read and sign before class. I know it sounds a little negative, but there are risks involved in exercise. It's my job is to inform the participants that they could hurt themselves; i.e., sprain an ankle, fall and maybe even face more serious issues like death. That's pretty serious don't you think? However, what I know and many of you do as well is that the benefits of exercise far outweigh the risks.

A couple of years ago in San Angelo I remember hearing about a man that suffered a heart attack while out jogging. If I remember correctly, he was a rather young man; not even 50, and jogging was a regular activity for him. That's not the first and only time I've heard about such a thing happening. A lot of accidents; serious ones, could be avoided with careful screening. If you have joined a health club or gym, you might remember reading and signing the PAR-Q, Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire. It's basically a set of 7 questions that when answered truthfully will let you know if you need to speak to your physician before beginning an exercise program. As I said, the benefits outweigh the risks. Fitness is fun and healthy, but it's wise to use common sense before jumping in feet first.