February 10, 2010 – Training Injuries

How often have I heard someone explain the dilemma of developing a new training routine only to have the effort fail due to a training or technique error. The loss of momentum is frustrating to say the least! This time of year I see a lot of new injuries from new commitments made in the first week of January. Its not that people have bad intentions, its often just a timing or technique problem. For instance, as the old saying goes, “too much too soon” can often be applied. A couple key things that I try to recommend to situations like this are: first, leave the training session knowing you could have done more. So often, the body just needs more time to adapt to the training load. BE PATIENT! Second, the program should loosely follow the principles of periodization. In other words, it is probably best to begin by planning out your year, including goal setting and developing a vision for what you are trying to accomplish. Once you have set a goal or two, it makes training seem a whole lot more logical and organized. Third, don’t waste your time doing silly exercises! Serious. Find out where your “weak links” are from a professional and target those first. Dr. S.