- The Performance Lifestyle
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- #11 - How I train to Prevent Injury
Today we are going to talk about injuries.
More specifically, how to prevent them from happening.
Injuries are Public Enemy #1 when it comes to your training.
They cause you to have time off to recover. You lose progress.
They also suck. Plain and simple.
We would all be wise to train in a way that gives us the best chance of not getting injured.
In my experience, the best way to do this is to combine two great training methods:
Mobility work
Strength Training
This is done through dedicated mobility sessions and strength training workouts.
It is also done by selecting great exercises that combine both of these elements.
I’ll get into some examples shortly.
But there is a common mistake made with these training methods.
It cannot be one or the other
Ever seen someone who is muscular and strong, but has zero flexibility?
Not a good look.
Similarly, have you come across someone insanely flexible but with so little strength they would blow over in a strong wind?
Not good either.
In these cases, people have fallen into a trap.
Thinking that because they are a lifter, they aren’t a gymnast or yoga practitioner. Therefore, they don’t do mobility work.
Or thinking that because they do yoga or lots of flexibility training, they aren’t lifters. So they don’t strength train.
Training is so often not a case of one or the other.
It is a case of both.
Injury prevention, physical functionality and good athletic performance.
All results of doing both mobility and strength training.
Let’s break down how.
1 - Build a Movement Foundation
If you can’t move well, exercise and training are going to be a struggle.
Therefore, looking after your movement should be a priority.
However experienced you are with training.
Use your bodyweight to build this foundation.
Walk
Run
Jump
Look after the joints one by one:
Ankle
Knee
Hip
Spine
Shoulder
Neck
Elbow
Wrist
Without a strong foundation, we aren’t safeguarding ourselves against injury as well.
You won’t regret taking the time to do this.
2 - Strength Train using Timeless Exercises
If something has stood the test of time, chances are it is worth doing.
This is certainly the case with exercise - something that can be easily overcomplicated.
Humans have understood the value of strength going as far back as the Ancient Greeks.
Without strength, every other form of training we do will be made more challenging.
Nail the basics:
Push - Dip, Bench Press, Military Press
Pull - Bodyweight Row, Pull Up
Squat - Pistol Squat, Front Squat, Back Squat
Hinge - Kettlebell Swing, Deadlift, Clean
Core - Hanging Leg Raise, Ab Wheel
Grip - Passive Hang, Farmer’s Carry, Suitcase Carry
Make sure all these movements are done with proper technique and range of motion.
Doing so will give us the best chance at preventing injuries.
3 - Address Common Problem Areas with Mobility.
Modern life often doesn’t do our bodies any favours.
We sit for a long time.
We’re hunched over looking at our phones.
We don’t walk enough.
The movement foundation and strength training will help with a lot of this.
Mobility helps us go further. We can get the body in the state it was designed to be in.
Here are some key areas to address:
Strengthen the shins
Improve ankle mobility
Lengthen the hamstrings and hip flexors
Stretch the outside of the hips
Strengthen your mid-back
Improve upper back and shoulder mobility
The body was designed well. It is not supposed to be chronically injured.
Let’s allow it to do its thing.
4 - Keep doing all of this.
As with so many things in life, the value of training shines through when we really stick at it.
Consistent effort, put in for years and years.
When things get tough, it is often worthwhile to remind yourself why you are training.
This will be different for each of us.
But there are a few things that I think we can all agree are worth having:
A pain-free body
Energy and vitality
Broad physical capabilities
The ability to do all this over the course of a long life
These things seem plenty worthwhile to me.
Keep them in mind.
That’s all for today.
Have a good one!
Adam.