Injuries can halt your training progress, but an injury doesn’t necessarily mean you have to stop training altogether; and there are many things to incorporate in your workout, to prevent injuries from happening in that 100kg Deadlift and any other exercises that you do. According to Men’s Journal “Lifting doesn’t injure people — people injure themselves. And lifting heavy weights with bad form is one big reason why.”
When it comes to fitness, results come from having a goal and effectively programming the correct exercises to achieve that goal. Beginners often make the mistake of heading to the gym and trying all sorts of different exercises, all at once, often with poor form, no planning and not enough attention to progressive overload. Hence, they either do too much too soon and end up sore and injured or they do the same thing over and over therefore not producing the desired result, but possibly adding an overuse injury. The time spent on recovering from those injuries could have been put to better use getting results if a well-designed program was followed and executed well.
At the beginning of your workout journey, it is critical you learn the dos and don’ts of training well; so that you can prevent injuries from happening and continue to work towards your goals. The following strategies should be included in every workout:
- Warm-up before you train. A thorough Warm up should gently prepare the body for a heavy workout, increase your heart rate, mobilize your joints, increase blood flow to your muscles, and prepare your nervous system.
- Proper form in any exercise. Proper form means performing the exercise with the right movement pattern, the correct muscles being engaged and without putting undue stress on joints, tendons, and ligaments.
- Strengthen your core. The core muscles support your back and provide stability and a strong platform for all other movements. Strengthening your core can help prevent an injury and lower back pain.
- Rest is not a four-letter word. Give yourself days off allow your body to recover after a workout. This helps to prevent injuries by making sure your muscles are ready for another workout in the next day or two.
The Conan Fitness 14 Week Challenge is a fully planned 14-week program to take your training to the next level with no guess work. With the inclusion of two Personal Training sessions per week to ensure your form is correct and your progression is appropriate, it’s the perfect way to ensure you will get to your goals!
In the next post, we will discuss recovering from an injury if you already have one.
