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Avoiding Injuries and Maximizing Outcomes
We’ve all been there! You’re feeling good, things seem to be going well and out of nowhere you get hurt, and it sidelines you. I’m not going to dive too deep into the physiological side of injuries, but it
can be frustrating, irritating, and of course painful. Now pain is a natural part of life, but wouldn’t it be nice to avoid pain!!! Here’s some tips that can help you in the gym to help you keep yourself safe and keep you healthy.
Listen to Your Body
The old mantra of “No Pain No Gain” is great, to a certain extent. Yes, the exertion necessary to achieve
our fitness goals may be uncomfortable. It may leave us sore, hobbling around for a few days because the
muscles don't want to loosen up. However, we need to be careful in these endeavors. While we're
exercising, our bodies are releasing endorphins, which are chemically similar to morphine, which is a pain
killer. It’s very easy to mask symptoms of injury when our bodies are flooded with the feel goods. The
more fatigued we get, the easier it is to hurt yourself. So be careful, if you're doing an exercise or group of
exercises, and your body is questioning its ability to do another rep, listen to that warning. It’s better to
keep yourself healthy than to attempt something that is going to get yourself hurt.
Vet Your Sources
Why are you doing the things, lifts, and exercises you're doing? It’s psychology 101. Are we doing it
because we saw it on TickTock, or a guy over in the corner that looks like he knows what he's doing was
doing it, or your buddy told you it’s the best thing ever? Are these things bad to do? NOPE! There’s more
resources than ever before to help yourself be better everyday, but be careful how and where you apply
your findings. There are beginner workouts and movements that are great additives to a workout to help
with gaining muscle, mobility and cardiovascular health. On the other hand, there are very advanced
techniques shown that are simply put, not appropriate for the average lifter to be performing. Generally,
there is a more effective, simple lift or motion that can benefit an individual that hasn’t been training for
20 years. We have to take into account the person we're receiving our input from. What are their
credentials, what’s their background, do they have the same goals as you do? In short, research before you
hurt yourself or waste your time and energy doing useless exercise.
Educate Yourself
We all have or should have goals that keep us coming back. Whether it’s gaining muscle, losing weight,
or being overall healthier, each of these goals requires something different to achieve the success we’re
looking for. Each muscle has a specific role it plays in joint movement, and if you know what that muscle
is supposed to be doing, you can more effectively use it. If you're trying to put on more muscle, how
much do you know about your muscle system and how it works? Do you know what sets and reps you
need to be doing to achieve your goal? How much do you know about periodization and deloading, to
help prevent fatigue and overuse injuries? If you're trying to lose weight, do you know how the energy
systems in your body use the nutrients you consume for fuel and how you burn any excess, resulting in
weight loss? Knowledge is power! By educating yourself, you can be safer in your dieting, lifting
programs, and overall attendance at the gym and in life.
We want you to be safe, and be effective in what you are trying to do! If you have to google any of these
terms, come talk to one of our staff, and we can help guide you to the right answers.
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