Hey everyone, hope lockdown 2.0 is treating you well. So I was scrolling on Instagram the other day and there seemed to be an influx of people getting injured through their training. Which prompted today’s blog post, injuries have had a large impact on my training and it’s been something I’ve had to learn to manage.
Injuries suck, trust me I know. Over the years I broken bones, torn ligaments and had a few knocks. It’s part and parcel of life for some, and as soon as one thing goes then you’ve got a weakness there.
Before going on I think it’s only right to mention if you’ve injured yourself priority number one should be to see a physiotherapist or a doctor if it’s bad. They can then correctly diagnose you and give you the correct rehabilitation. They’ll give you certain exercises and resistance bands to help strengthen that muscle back up.
What I want to talk about is getting through that injury phase both physically and mentally. I know when I can’t train my mental health drops and I turn into a mess, it’s the routine that keeps my head in check. And when I can’t do something I love it really gets to me, something I’m seeing in a lot with other people especially during lockdown. Training can be someone’s release in life so when they can’t do that because of gym’s closing in lockdown and then they injure themselves, it can really effect them.
You have to remember when you’re using machines at the gym they restrict your movement for a very good reason, with free weights you’re more likely to injure yourself. Your body is working not only to perform the lift but also stabilise itself. Now if you know how to lift with the correct form this isn’t an issue but if you only use machines and then have to resort to home workouts with free weights then you need to make sure you know what you’re doing. Also good to mention at the gym there’s people there to offer advice and help with any lifts you maybe struggling with. Whether it spotting, form advice or having equipment there to help when failing a lift.
People are also trying new things because they have more time to, which is great but your muscles get used to a certain type of training and weight. People often forget home training is something different to the body, precautions still need to be taken.
Avoiding injuries is never a guarantee, accidents happen. But obviously there are ways to minimise the risk of injuries such as making sure you warm up properly. If you’ve read my blog post about warming up you’ll know its more important to raise your core body temperature than to do a few stretches. Make sure you’re exercising within your capacity even when doing home workouts. If you go from heavy strength training to doing lighter weights for more reps and less rest period. It’s still a strain on your body and will still need adequate rest. You may view it as less work or maybe view it as easier, but not allowing your body the correct amount of time for recovery can lead to injury.
Like most people however, I myself was eager to get back and some of the time returned to training a bit too early. You should always ease yourself back in and take it slow like all sports. Sometimes the enjoyment can get the better of you, I remember when I had a football injury that kept me out for sometime, I returned and you can get caught up in the game. Before long you feel a twinge. So as hard as it sounds, take your time, take it steady and be mindful of your potential weakness.
Now the second part, how to cope when you’re injured. For some they can keep up with their training if they’re careful. For example if you’ve injured one part of your anatomy you can still keep going training the rest. Providing your doing lifts when they’re not in use and there’s no chance of further injury. For example using a leg press or other machine if you’ve injured your upper body. Maybe even just hitting a step goal to keep you active and moving. But for some they have to stop training all together, if that’s the case then you need to find something to keep your mind busy. During lockdown for me I started this blog, and then I got injured and had to take a break from training so I wrote blog posts. I thought of topics what would have been beneficial to me or things I wish I knew when I first started training. I also tailored to subject so the photography needed could be something that wasn’t me lifting weights. So find something to keep you busy, and preferable productive. That’s got to be my best advice on how I get through being injured.
Hope you enjoyed todays post, as always be sure to check me out on Instagram @cmcg.fitness subscribe to the blog if you enjoyed.
Take care
Cameron
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