The Beginner's Guide to Preventing Injuries in Hybrid Strongman Training
An Ounce of Prevention
If you're just stepping into the world of hybrid strongman training, you're in for an in exciting journey. This form of training is a fantastic way to build strength, but like any physical exercise, it comes with its own set of challenges. The most crucial challenge is injury prevention. Fortunately, that's exactly what we'll focus on here.
The Fine Line Between Gain and Pain
When you're lifting heavy objects, pulling sleds, or swinging sandbags, the line between making gains and sustaining an injury is can be surprisingly thin. Injury prevention is not just about avoiding immediate harm; it's also about longevity in your fitness journey. The benefits of hybrid strength training can be fully realised only when you can sustain it over the long term, which means keeping injuries at bay.
Prepare, Don't Repair
Ever heard of the term "Prehabilitation?" It's like rehabilitation but for preventing injuries before they occur. By focusing on mobility exercises and functional training, you can prepare your body for the strenuous activities that come with hybrid strongman training.
Rehabilitation comes into play if, unfortunately, you do sustain an injury. It's the process of getting back into your training regimen safely. Both are pivotal elements of injury prevention.
Not Just Flexibility, But Functionality
Mobility is not just about stretching; it's about functional movement. In hybrid strongman training, you'll need a good range of motion in your joints to perform exercises correctly and safely. Regularly incorporating mobility exercises can improve your form and decrease your risk of injury. We use ‘animal flows’ as well as traditional mobility exercises to price the body for training. Do not skip these… Mobility work is a key component of any session and readies the body for hard training.
WARM UP PROPERLY
The RAMP- Up to Success
Before you even touch that Atlas stone or pick up a barbell, warming up is crucial. The RAMP warm-up method, which stands for Raise, Activate, Mobilize, and Potentiate, is particularly effective. It raises your heart rate, activates key muscle groups, mobilizes joints, and prepares your body for high-intensity exercises.
From High Gear to a Complete Stop
Don't underestimate the importance of a good cool-down session. Just as your body needs time to rev up, it also needs time to slow down. Proper cooling down will help in reducing muscle soreness and initiating the recovery process, which is essential for injury. This can be slow movement flows, or, in Strength& it can be as simple as helping put the equipment away! (nothing is done by accident)
Now that you're equipped with these tips, you're ready to embark on your hybrid strongman training journey, fortified against potential injuries. Remember, you can always build strength, but you can't regain lost time due to injury. So be smart, train hard, and stay safe!
