Regular exercise can make life easier and keep your entire body running smoother, not to mention it can make you look great. However, as with anything new and exciting, there are some risks involved. If you don't really know what you're doing, injuries are definitely more likely. An education is the best defense against injury, so don't skip out on your research. Still, no need to stock up on every exercise book you can find. We've got some tips for you to prevent exercise injuries and stay fit safely.

1. Warm up Warming up before exercise is absolutely vital for the proper execution and fulfillment of any workout plan. The National Association of Sports Medicine suggested 5-10 minutes of cardio workout coupled with stretching prior to engaging in any form of exercise.
   
   Put yourself in your muscles' shoes. When you wake up in the morning, do you want to immediately bang out 30 pushups and then do ten back flips? Slight exaggeration, but the situation is the same with your muscles. It is only polite to wake them up and give them time to prepare for exercise. Your workout will run much more smoothly if you warm up first and more importantly, you will be much less likely to injure yourself. 5-10 minutes of cardio on a machine is fine. You can also walk or run a few laps around a track. Just remember the purpose of a warm up is to get you warm so don't make it a separate workout. You don't want to be too tired to do your actual workout.
   
   
2. Stretching Whether you include it in your warm-up or do it separately, you must stretch. If it's leg day, stretch your legs thoroughly. Familiarize yourself with stretches for all the different body parts you workout so you know you're nice and loose. Stretching is probably the best way to prevent injury. Stability balls are great for back stretches and foam rolls are great ways to roll out knots and loosen up tight muscles. Make sure you don't stay in one position too long. You should feel a slight pull but not intense pain.
   
   
3. Use appropriate weight There is a widespread misconception that you just need to overexert yourself if you want to burn calories. It is true that one should try their best to work hard in the gym. However, this does not mean that a 100 pound female should be trying to squat 100 pounds on her first try. Consult the advice of a professional before undertaking any workout plan. Get some guidance. Do your research before you jump off the ledge. (Hint: It's best to start with no weight to learn proper form). That leads us to our next pointer
   
   
4. Get help Whether it's an experienced friend or a personal trainer, don't even attempt to go it alone. If you don't know what you're doing now, you probably won't magically learn when you step through the doors of the gym. So take some time to get some help from someone who can lead you on the right path. It will save you time and pain to go through your workouts with proper form instead of wasting months of your life on a faulty plan. Just like anything else in life, you must learn by being taught before you learn by doing.