As you start to think about increasing your training load, it’s important to factor in some injury prevention strategies. While ramping up your training without any thought about managing injury prevention isn’t always going to end with an injury, the likelihood is much higher. We want to go through some strategies that can help you stay injury-free while you increase your training.
Gradual Progression
One of the most important principles is to increase your training load gradually. Avoid sudden spikes in intensity, duration, or frequency. Follow the 10% rule: increase your training volume by no more than 10% per week to give your body time to adapt.
Listen to Your Body
Pay attention to what your body is telling you. Persistent pain or consistent fatigue might be warning signs that you’ve pushed too hard, too fast. Take a step back and allow your body to recover before training again.
Prehabilitation
If you have had an injury in the past, or notice a joint or muscle is consistently sore or tight, adding prehabilitation (prehab) into your schedule can help to minimise the possibility of a flare up, and manage any ongoing pain. Prehab exercises are generally done with light resistance/weight and high reps. These drills will help to stabilise your joints and improve muscle engagement.
Rest and Recovery Days
Rest and recovery days are a must-have in any training plan. They allow for muscle repair and help to prevent overuse injuries. Active recovery activities like walking or stretching are great to include in your recovery days.
Warm Up and Cool Down
Always start your workouts with a proper warm-up to prepare your muscles and joints for the increased workload. Including your prehab exercises in your warmup is a great way to make sure your muscles are “turned on” and engaging properly before your workout. Cool down with passive and/or active stretching to help with mobility, decrease DOMS and improve recovery time. Consistent flexibility training can also help to improve engagement in the extremes of your range of motion and reduce the risk of strains or sprains.
Work on Technique
Do your best to make sure you’re using correct form and technique in all exercises. Poor form can place undue stress on your muscles and joints, increasing the risk of injury. If you’re not sure if your technique is correct, we’d recommend working with a personal trainer or coach.
Cross-Training
Incorporating cross-training can help to balance your muscle development and reduce repetitive strain on specific muscle groups. Engaging in different types of activities can enhance overall fitness and prevent overuse injuries.
While there’s no sure-fire way to make sure you don’t injure yourself when upping your training load, following these tips will allow you to put your best foot forward when it comes to injury prevention. It’s important to note that everyone is different – what works for someone else may not work for you. Trial some different strategies and see what makes the biggest difference for you and your training.
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