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Fewer Injuries, More Productivity: Exercising for Physically Demanding Jobs

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While some people prefer office work or becoming teachers, others enjoy active jobs such as construction or police work. If you belong to the latter category, you most likely know how important exercising is for these physically demanding jobs.

Fewer Injuries, More Productivity: Exercising for Physically Demanding Jobs -- Growing up and joining the workforce is something that many young people dread. Nevertheless, it’s also something that we all eventually must do, so the best way to go about it is to choose a job you love. Preferences in this case also vary from person to person, as always. The saying “to each his own” applies perfectly to this situation.

Growing up and joining the workforce is something that many young people dread. Nevertheless, it’s also something that we all eventually must do, so the best way to go about it is to choose a job you love.

Preferences in this case also vary from person to person, as always. The saying “to each his own” applies perfectly to this situation.

And fortunately, there is a fail-safe way to improve upon that even more, namely exercising regularly. Not only will this make you better at your job, but it will also boost your productivity and reduce work-related injury risks overall.

But what professions is this true for and, most importantly, how can it be achieved?

The Hardest Jobs: An Overview

According to Business Insider and data comprised of the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network, the vast majority of physically demanding jobs are in the field of construction and all its subcategories. Masons of all kinds, as well as roofers, carpenters, and ironworkers, need to be in tip-top shape on the job.

This implies an ability to spend long hours standing or walking, as well as plenty of stamina and core strength. What’s more, you need to check twice before getting the right type of footwear, if you want to end the day without severe pain in your feet.

If you’re a beginner and have no idea where to start from, you can read more about the most comfortable work boots for standing all day from a professional perspective. Other highly engaging occupations include firefighters, correctional officers, athletes, fitness trainers, choreographers, and trainers.

All in all, the list is a diverse one because it includes professions from many walks of life, from handiwork to creative activities.

It’s no secret that most people start working out with weight loss in mind. But exercising isn’t only good for shedding a few of those pesky extra pounds that have been bothering you recently.

They are also a good way to maintain overall physical fitness. Furthermore, adopting a regular routine builds endurance and strength, which is ideal for people working in any of the fields mentioned above.

While athletes and dancers are used to heavy training schedules, those of us who engage in different, but equally straining occupations might not be familiar with such practices just yet. Nevertheless, if your job is one that requires a lot of physical activity on your part, exercising in your free time at least twice or three times a week is a true game-changer.

Benefits

There are many benefits to this. Perhaps the most important improvement that you will notice is that your rate of work-related injuries will decrease.

For example, a recent study has shown that a targeted 20-minute exercise routine reduced the risk of rugby-related injuries by as much as 70%. Seeing as how this is one of the most accident-prone sports ever, the numbers are more than promising.

Imagine how much it can improve your life if the field you work in is far less dangerous, but still not without its hazards. And the upsides don’t end here. In addition to this, exercising regularly will make you more productive on the job in general. Because your fitness and endurance levels will be high, you won’t get tired as easily.

When you possess such a skill, you can deliver a bigger and higher-quality workload in a shorter time, which is ideal for any occupation. Just think about how good of an employee you will be, which is something your superiors will surely reward you for. And when considering that all it takes are a few weekly workout sessions, the advantages far outweigh the sacrifices for sure.

While going to the gym or performing a couple of exercises at home sounds easy enough, you will need to think your routine through pretty well before venturing towards your actual goals that involve it. You need to remember that it should contain beneficial movements only.

So, what should the best routine to sustain your daily activities look like? Let’s find out.

Top 5 Best Exercises for Physically Demanding Jobs

Naturally, depending on what your profession involves specifically, some routines might be more effective than others when it comes to your personalized needs. A full-body workout is the most effective option because it builds endurance, engages your core, and builds up strength as well. Here are the fives best exercises to incorporate so that you achieve these results.

Push-Ups

As you may very well be aware of by now, pushups are the all-time classic exercise. Most of us learn how to do them during gym class in primary school, and there’s a good reason for that:  they help with everything. While its primary targets are the core, chest, and triceps, your arms, legs, and upper back are in the mix as well.

When you perform a single push-up correctly, you are lifting more than 60% of your body weight, which is an amazing accomplishment for anyone. You should ideally be able to work your way up to four sets of 15 movements each during a single session. But to be able to do this, you will need to start off slow at first and work your way up.

Lunges

Because they involve your glutes, your hamstrings, and your quadriceps at the same time, lunges might seem simple, but they are immensely engaging. They are traditionally executed while in a stationary position, but if you want to add a fun twist, you can also set a finish line and lunge towards it.

Grab a dumbbell in each hand for some additional difficulty. This will not only help you achieve more visible and durable results, but it will also engage a few other muscle groups as well, turning a simple lunge session into a full-body workout in no time at all.

Squats

If you feel like the lower part of your body needs some additional attention, squats are the perfect way to go. They train both your hamstrings and your glutes, with the added benefit of including your hips in the mix as well. Thus, it comes as no surprise that they are some celebrities’ favorite ‘booty building’ exercises.

Nevertheless, you need to include squats in your routine even when your goal isn’t getting a Kim Kardashian backside, which we imagine isn’t an objective for most people wanting to improve their professional performance. Squats are amazing for that because they take care of the upper part of the body as well and engage your core.

Burpees

Although their name sounds downright comical, burpees are some of the most effective exercises that you can do to work out your entire body. In order to start, you need to squat down and put your hands on the floor. Then kick your feet out and do a single push-up. The next step is tucking your feet back under you, then getting up by leaping.

So, not only that the name sound amusing, but the entire motion is kind of hilarious as well. But you need to ignore that because the important thing here is that it works. They are the ideal combination of pushups and squats, and they also bring your legs in on the fun much like a lunge would.

Deadlifts

Unlike what we traditionally think of when we think of weightlifting, the deadlift involves bringing the weight just up to your thighs and not an inch higher. Thus, you don’t have to pretend you’re Rocky Balboa and struggle to balance the whole thing on your pecs. However, you do need to be extremely careful not to throw out your back in the process.

Keeping it flat for the entirety of the process is the best way to go about it. Once performed correctly, a round of deadlifts will strengthen not only your back and forearms but also your glutes, calves, hamstrings, and quads.

And on top of that, it will also build core endurance, so it’s by far the best all-in-one exercise that you can perform.

Final Thoughts

To sum it all up, exercising regularly is a godsend for people who perform manual labor, operate heavy machinery, or engage in any other physically demanding activities.

The perfect routine in this scenario should ideally contain sets of pushups, lunges, squats, and burpees, and maybe a couple of deadlifts here and there if possible.

The amount in which you need to perform each of these is completely customizable and depends on a few variables, such as your availability time-wise, your physical fitness level, and your overall skills in this department.

The best way to go about it is by asking a personal trainer for advice at first if you’ve never worked out properly before.

However, not everyone can afford a regular gym subscription, and that’s perfectly fine. These workouts can be performed at home just as well.

In any case, you will need to start off slowly at first so that you can objectively assess your potential. Once that is out of the way, you’re free to go as hard as you wish.

 

Fewer Injuries, More Productivity: Exercising for Physically Demanding Jobs -- Growing up and joining the workforce is something that many young people dread. Nevertheless, it’s also something that we all eventually must do, so the best way to go about it is to choose a job you love. Preferences in this case also vary from person to person, as always. The saying “to each his own” applies perfectly to this situation. #fitness #prepping #survival #health