WARNING: If You Aren’t Preventing Injuries You’re Causing Them!
The #1 GOAL of any training program should be to prevent injuries. Obviously things can happen and injuries do occur, but if you and/or your coach aren’t working to mitigate them that’s a huge problem. Next you will find 5 sure fire strategies to get you started on how to prevent injuries while training in the gym.
1. Warm-Up:
It sounds simple right? In all honesty it can be and it should be. A warm-up should do just that…warm you up. It doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to check off a few boxes to get you ready for your training session. The easiest way is to start with a quick foam rolling session (~2:00-4:00 mins), followed by a run, row, or jumping rope (~2:00-4:00 mins), then finish it off with a variety of movements to prep the body for the tasks to come. A great place to get started is with our Dynamic Warm-Up below. We perform this with some slight variations on a daily basis.
2.Pre-Hab Exercises
The majority of people out there have crappy posture, the inability to properly activate their glutes and poor core control. This is where Pre-Hab exercises come in. When someone gets hurt they go to Physical Therapy for Rehab, hence where the term Pre-Hab comes from. These exercises are designed to attack the above listed problem areas common to most people. Again, simple is key. Some Band Walks (Glutes), TYW & L’s (Shoulders/Posture) and some Hollow Holds (Core) can get you well on your way to decreasing the likelihood of an injury. Take a look at some of our Pre-Hab exercise videos to get you started.
Lateral Band Walks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wUk8wQNUT8
Hollow Holds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp4UfpG9ivo
T, Y, W & L’s Shoulder Prehab: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a7_sBTdi9c
3. Practice:
I don’t have the exact figures in front of me, but I’d say the #1 cause of injuries in the gym is poor exercise technique. People have a tendency to want to go hard in the gym every single day with no regards to form or technique. I like to refer to this as “Ego Lifting”. However, the goal of all training sessions should be to get better. And better does not mean more weight on the bar. “Better” in my book means improved form, technique, movement and yes more weight. Check your ego at the door and get some coaching to improve your technique, you’ll be amazed at how much more weight you can use safely with better technique. Form and function before speed and intensity should be the progression in programs, not the opposite. Even with spending half of my life in the gym, having a BS and an MS, plus years of experience I will forever be a White Belt in my pursuit for perfecting technique. Focus on making small improvements consistently and they will compound over time into massive PR’s.
4. Focus on Nutrition & Hydration
Fluid intake is the most important nutrition consideration for any athlete. A loss of body weight of just 1% (1.5 pounds in a 150-pound athlete) can adversely affect the body’s ability to cope with the stress of exercise. A loss of more than 1% of body weight can impair athletic performance significantly. Water is a good place to start, but sport drinks can be better for more vigorous exercise, especially in warm, humid weather. Like here in North Carolina. Sport drinks are good because they help replace the electrolytes lost in sweat; water doesn’t do that. When it comes to Nutrition just keep it simple. If your great grandparents wouldn’t recognize it, that’s a good sign that it’s most likely not good for you. Fruit, whole grains, peanut butter, yogurt, oatmeal & granola are all great pre-workout options. Post workout look to eat lean proteins (chicken, eggs), healthy fats (avocado, almond butter), veggies, fruits, sweet potatoes and other healthy whole grain options to start the recovery process for the next days training.
5. Rest
I like to refer to this portion as the 3 R’s: Rest. Recovery & Regeneration. In other words, Sleep, Foam-Rolling, Stretching and Mobility work…DAILY! No matter how often you are training, the number 1 performance enhancer is SLEEP. If you’re not getting 7-8 hours your performance is massively decreased the next day. String together a couple days like that and you’re playing with fire. Read our recent blog on the importance of Sleep by CLICKING HERE. The foam roller is your own personal massage therapist, so spend the $20, get one and be proactive. And knowing the population, you don’t have the greatest ankle mobility, so take a look at the video below. Start small, form good habits and above all else be consistent. 5 mins/day is way better than 40 mins once/week.
Banded Ankle Mobility: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krNrFzQJ_K4
You only have one body in this life, might as well take care of it…no one else will.
– Geoff