When it comes to training, there is nothing worse than getting injured! Injuries are not onlya huge setback for your performance, but can also be extremely taxing mentally. Forathletes, getting injured is by far their worst case scenario, sometimes it can mean the endof a season or even a playing career. In this article I wanted to address a few strategies thatyou can implement to help you stay at the top of your game!

As a strength and conditioning coach, I’ve seen it all too many times. Injuries happening as aresult of poor judgement and decision making. Don’t get me wrong, most often there areplenty of other factors at play. However, you want to ensure you are doing everythingwithin your control to train at the best of your ability.

Here’s what you can do to make the most of your training, and prevent injuries fromhappening:

Technique is paramount. Understanding your individual biomechanics and how your bodymoves (especially when under load) is crucial to performing well and preventing injuriesfrom occurring. Whether it’s in the weight room or out on the field, often having a secondpair of eyes to give you feedback on how your body is moving is crucial towards developingand improving. You know what they say, practice makes perfect!

Don’t rush your warm up. The goal of any warm up is prepare the body for motion andprime for the session that is about to be performed. Similar to a race car revving its enginebefore the starting gun goes off! Making sure your body has adequate blood flow, optimaltemperature and joint congruency are all factors that can make the introduction of higherintensity modalities a lot smoother. Take the time to plan your warm ups!

One of the most common ways to get injured is from overtraining. This is where your bodyis put under too much load and essentially burns out. Implementing adequate recoverystrategies such as a good night’s sleep, a nutritious diet, supplementation and incorporating active recovery training sessions can be more effective ways to manage this load. Justremember, your body’s ability to perform is only as good as its ability to recover.

Believe it or not, this can be one of the biggest reasons why people get injured. They try toperform something that is outside of their capability. Of course, you train to get better andimprove. However, being smart about the weights you select or the intensities you train atare ways to prevent any injuries from occurring. Don’t be afraid to run a little slower, ortake some weight off the bar. Knowing what you are capable of doing is massively influentialtowards how you will perform. For years, most Olympic weightlifters will just use the barwithout any weight so they can optimise their technique and the way their body moves.Leave your ego at the door and always keep in mind that your only competition is yourself!

Leave your ego at the door and always keep in mind that your only competition is yourself!So there it is! My top 4 tips to make the most of your training and prevent injuries fromoccurring! Sometimes it’s simply a matter of training smarter not harder.Good luck!