Injuries are a very unfortunate and all too real issue for anybody who is trying to shape, change, and improve their bodies. The sad reality is that they will happen, so the question becomes what to do when they happen? In order to do this, one needs to realize the difference between an injury and normal pains. I will not pretend to know everything, but I do know a little about injuries and the lifting world.
My name is Alex Lefever and in 2009, I set 4 world records in the International Powerlifting Association in the 198 pound, 16-17 age class. Getting to that point is a whole different story that would require a wall of text not for this article. For my brief competitive powerlifting career I actually competed with some serious injuries. I’ve had a herniated disc since I was in 8th grade and trained with that for a year before I actually knew what the problem was. I competed in multiple powerlifting meets with a shoulder that needed surgery.
Today I sit at this computer typing to you thinking about how in a few months, I’ll be having both of my hips operated on to bring my surgery count up to 4. Both my shoulders have been operated on already for labrum tears and a little fraying of my rotator cuff.
I’m a little more “insane” than your average gym goer, but I implore you, dear reader, to listen to a few things I have learned and a few other things I wish I had known while I was training and competing with some bad injuries.
The first thing is sleep. Sleep is very important for the obvious reason of your ability to recuperate from the muscle damage and strain you put on your muscles with any amount of training. However, I wouldn’t even say that’s the most important reason for sleep. More important is honestly your ability to concentrate. Think about when you’re tired how hard it is for you to do anything that requires concentration or patience. Lifting is no different and your risk of injury increases exponentially if your mental fortitude slips while you’re doing a heavy lift. Imagine your squatting and you’re in that last warm up set, so it’s still easy and you take it for granted since it’s a “warm up.” Well, a slip in concentration, you twist slightly and all of a sudden you’ve got a little tweak in your back that could end the workout for the day. That has probably happened to a fair amount of people. Another example that I’ve witnessed is with seated dumbbell shoulder presses. The dumbbells can have a frustrating tendency to go backwards at times and you may have to drop it so you don’t pull your shoulder into a bad position. That half second extra where your tired brain takes to realize your arm is drifting, could be enough to damage your shoulder, the single weakest joint in your body.
The next big issue is related to the point above and that’s form, which also ties into mindset so I’ll touch on both. It seems such common sense that form is important, but it can be easy to get caught up in the weight you’re doing and trying to out lift those around you. You see pro bodybuilders in videos doing half range of motion, screaming, grunting, and just being attention hungry. I ask you to do a few things with the goal in mind of not drawing attention to yourself. Do not worry about the weight overly much, it is just a number and heavy is relative. The only exception to this is if you are a Powerlifter or strongman in a pre-competition training state. If you can manage to wear dark clothing that includes sleeves(seriously, it’s nice to look pretty but if that’s why you’re wearing a cut off shirt, your priorities are off and your workouts could be much more effective) and if you’re squatting/deadlifting that you wear flat soled shoes. You always want a solid base, a grounding that will not shake.
Good form without worrying about weight leads to the most efficient gains. If you want to be recognized for lifting, be recognized as a professional who works hard, doesn’t get distracted and recognizes that the gym is gym time. People should recognize you as a force to be reckoned with in knowledge, strength, and size. Doesn’t that seem so much better than you being “that guy” that throws the 100 pound dumbbells because that’s heavy and means you’ve graduated from the double digit weights? I wish for you to enter a mindset that you don’t speak in the gym, don’t bother yourself with others, and if you have a training partner(s) that you keep talking to a minimum and keep it on topic with the gym. There are 20+ other hours in the day for making friends.
The last thing for this write up is simply food and water. Be sure to eat ASAP after your workouts and make it a good meal. No fatty foods, just a simple carb and lean protein. If you take BCAAs or any other specific amino acids this a good time for that too. Creatine is fine as well, but the number 1 priority is food. Supplements are quite literally that, an extra addition, NOT a replacement for a meal. Protein shakes are good too, but they’re not a real meal. Your best bet is to have solid food immediately after and don’t shy away from eating another meal an hour to two hours after working out either. Be sure to drink water during your workouts but do not overdo it. It’s unhealthy to go into the gym after a day of barely drinking anything and then coming in and downing a full gallon jug of water because “hydration is good.” What should be done is steady drinking throughout the entire day. Don’t be afraid to go to the bathroom every two hours because you’re hydrated, that’s fine if it’s what your body is used to. Dehydration seriously hurts your ability for muscles to function properly and there is a need for sweating to take place. To learn more about hydration check out “The Importance of Proper Hydration”
For safety, please don’t do these things either
- DO NOT roll your shoulders when you do shrugs
- DO NOT put 2.5s under your heels for squatting
- DO NOT throw weights down – Not just because of hitting people but also because lifting with bent dumbbells throws off their balance and that can hurt a person
- This may seem weird, but DO NOT clip the barbell when you’re benching. If the bar slides out of your hands you want the weights able to slide off. If you’re worried about the bar tilting and weights falling off while you’re lifting, the weight is too heavy. BUT YOU MUST CLIP THE BARBELL FOR SQUATS AND DEADLIFTS.
Hope you guys enjoyed and/or learned!