Training - Avoiding Injuries
Injuries are the plague of all athletes. They can be disabling or just annoying
but they all have one thing in common - they're preventable. The best way to
prevent the possibility of injury is to follow five simple steps:
1. Warm up properly -
Never just begin to train. Approach it. Prepare the body for what is to follow.
Don't allow yourself to be goaded into contests or rushed into training before
the body is properly warmed up. If it's cold weather, dress warmly and warm
up longer. Don't warm up by lifting weights. Start with calisthenics for around
10 minutes and get the oxygen enriched blood coursing through your body.
2. Train properly -
By proper training I don't mean just the way you might train each bodypart
- although that's very important. What I'm referring to specifically is the
sequence in which the exercises are performed. Since blood is a great builder
and protector, it's good to keep it in a specific area for as long as possible.
For example, if you exercise the chest, a good area to follow would be the
shoulders, not the calves.
Many biceps injuries occur when the arm curls starts the arm routine. This
is because the unnatural positioning of the hands with the palms facie up on
a rigid bar puts an excessive pressure on the elbow joint. Never start an arm
routine with a barbell - no matter what you've heard.
3. Don't ever fatigue your muscles -
The body has an incredible language all its own. When we're young, we "listen" through
instinct. It's only as we get older that we start to lose contact. After a
while we start to rationalize. We tend to do things out of habit. If we train
a certain length of time with a particular weight and number of sets, we have
a tendency to get off a "death bed" if necessary to do the workout.
The body is saying "no", "do less", or "nothing." When
you ignore the message you are apt to get injured and whatever training you
do won't give you the results you are working of. Now this doesn't mean to
cater to laziness. Be honest with yourself and you'll know the difference.
4. Concentration -
Most gyms can be broken down into two segments. There are members who socialize
and there are the champions. From the moment you enter the gym you should visualize
what you are going to do. While actually training, look in the mirror and watch
the muscles work. If you don't, you'll be prone to injuring yourself and getting
only a muscular mouth.
5. Proper nutrition -
Food is the fuel we use to keep going. Without the right combination we falter
and don't reach an optimum level of performance. Since we all have different
and very special needs, the subject can be complex. It deserves your greatest
attention. Refer to my book on nutrition for in-depth advice.
For additional training information, get a Personalized Training and Nutrition
Program designed by Franco.
Top Ten Power Training Secrets >>
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