Do you ever wonder why you continue to get injured when training?

Now I’m sure you expect me to go on some sort of diatribe about muscle imbalances, poor posture, poor mobility, etc.  And while those are all valid reasons, that’s not what I want to talk about today.

Two of the most common reasons people get injured are that they either increase volume, or increase intensity, too quickly.

Think about it – how many times have you heard about the person who’s finally committed to their fitness regimen, they’re kicking ass in the gym for 2-3 weeks, and then they end up with some minor, nagging injury that puts them on the sideliens, effectively thwarting their progress?

I hear it all the friggin’ time.

When you’re just getting into a training program, you absolutely, positively, MUST take time to ramp up your efforts.  I don’t care what you could do a month, a year, or 10 years ago – you probably can’t do it now (at least not yet).

Injuries occur when you exceed a tissues tolerance to loading.  Like we discussed yesterday, there’s a balance between training and recovery.  Too much training, couple with too little recovery is rarely a good thing.

Instead, take the time to slowly and progressively ramp up your training volume and intensity.  This will allow your connective tissues (tendons, ligaments, joints, etc.) a period to acclimate to said increases, and they can respond by becoming more resilient.

Increasing your training volume/intensity too quickly is a sure-fire way to get yourself injured.  Be smart, focus on the long-term goals, and you’ll be much more likely to stay healthy AND achieve your strength or physique related goals.

Stay strong

MR