Sports Injuries - how to prevent them.

Preventing Sports Injuries

Many years ago strongmen and circus performers performed some truly amazing feats of strength and athletic ability, day in day out, without getting injured and without any specialist dietary or training programs. No warm ups (or warm downs), no stretching, no functional training movements, no pre-workout/intra workout supplements meals or drinks. How did these people perform day after day, year after year at peak levels of strength or physical ability without damaging themselves?

Every week (under normal times) you hear of footballers, athletes and other sports professionals who have received long term injuries which often some times occur during warm ups! Is there a way to train modern athletes so that they are less prone to injury and can perform for longer, at higher levels of intensity without injuring themselves?

The answer is yes and it uses an ancient form of training which can be easily incorporated to work alongside the training of footballers, athletes etc that will allow them to either not get inured so easily OR recover from injury faster.

This type of training, approved and endorsed by NASA to increase to muscle strength of astronauts in long term zero gravity, goes under the modern name of isometrics. However for old time strongmen and circus performers it had no specific name, it was simply a method of training passed down from one generation to another. Modern Sports Science distinguishes 3 different types.

Overcoming isometrics: Encompasses movements attempting to shift the position of an immovable object. Such isometric engagement transfers more energy to concentric (typically lifting up against gravity)strength rather than eccentric (typically lowering a weight slower than gravity). This dramatically increases the demand placed upon a person’s neurological pathways. Capable of cultivating pure strength over size, such short, intense bursts do not induce damage to muscle tissue.

Yielding isometrics: Hold a weight against the resistance or pull of gravity, preventing it from falling. The neurological system gets taxed less if at all, as eccentric strength is gained in muscle tissue. Typically held longer than the aforementioned short bursts involved in overcoming isometrics, one will develop muscular growth over time.

Functional isometrics employs a static hold at a chosen stop during a lift, utilizing a decidedly shortened range of motion (also referred to as a “partial lift”). Once at the desired stopping point, the strongest position of the movement, the position is held anywhere from 7-20 seconds. Athletes often find that in performing such moves, up to 50% more weight than a 1-rep max can be achieved. This type of strength helps footballers in not getting injured while tackling or being tackled.

Training using isometrics helps to build “raw” strength without damaging muscle tissue and, used correctly, can help an individual recover faster from injury.

So, if you would like to discover how to increase your “raw” strength & power, prevent sports related injuries or discover how to recover faster after an injury CONTACT US now for details.