Exercising the right way
Forget New Year’s — for many, September is the time for new routines and a fresh start. Back from beaches and pools, old school-year rhythms kick in as we focus on projects and plans for the months ahead. Cooler temperatures renew our energy for physical fitness, whether it’s making time for a hike, trying out a new class at the gym or training for a triathlon.

Don’t curb that enthusiasm, but do start slow if you’re embarking on a new fitness program, specialists in sports medicine advise. From yoga to volleyball, there are ways to prevent most sports-related injuries, many of which occur as the result of a new regimen. This is the focus of a half-day event sponsored by the Summit Medical Group on October 3. The Live Well: Get Active community sports event will feature opportunities to improve skills, avoid injuries, or try something new in a number of sports, including soccer, lacrosse, golf, baseball and football.

Sports and exercise are a part of so many American lives that they are also the cause of two major trends of the last 40 years: an overall fitness boom and revolutionary growth in women’s athletics — sparked by Title IX, the landmark 1972 legislation that required colleges and universities to provide equal team and scholarship opportunities for female athletes. These changes in the athletic landscape have affected girls and older women alike. The level of skill and competition in high school and college sports is higher than ever before.

Learn more about how to prevent and treat sports injuries in the current issue of New Jersey Countryside Magazine, available now at bookstores, on newsstands and by subscription. Click here to get one free bonus issue and save more than 80% on a subscription.