6 Keys to Injury Prevention In The Gym

Injuries are one of the biggest setbacks in training, but many of them can be avoided by being mindful in the gym. Dr. Michael Israetel, who holds a doctorate in sport physiology, broke down six simple ways to reduce your risk of injury while training in the gym. While much of his advice centers on heavier lifting (sets of five reps or fewer at high intensity), these principles can apply to training at any weight.

1. Always Use Good Technique

ALWAYS use good technique. No matter the weight. For example, let's say you're doing back squats. You get 3 with good technique and the last 2 are subpar. Will you probably walk away from the lift uninjured? Sure! But if you repeatedly follow this pattern you could form a chronic injury over time. This is also why its important to use perfect form even with LIGHT weights, so that you’re developing good movement patterns and “muscle memory”.

2. Graded Exposure

If you have never done an exercise before or have taken a lot of time away from the gym don’t go super heavy on your first day. Stay light and work your weight up over time to give your body time to adapt to the stimulus. Early in your training, it’s never a good idea to get close to “failure” on a lift. Progressively increase intensity as long as you’re being consistent with your training. Don’t try to make up for missed time all at once.

3. Manage Fatigue

If you are training in a very fatigued state your ability to coordinate your movements decreases. Over a period of time, this building fatigue can break your muscles down to the point where you need to take a “deload” period or full rest to avoid an injury.

4. Warm Up Properly

Cold tissues are more vulnerable to injury, so get your heart rate up and get blood moving to your muscles. Warm ups also give you the chance to practice the movement at a lighter weight  and work through some mobility drills.

5. Detect Pre-Injury Signals

Sometimes your body gives you an early warning sign something isn’t right. Maybe your shoulder feels “off” mid-bench press. You shouldn’t just “push through it”. Instead you should stop, rack the weight, and move the joint around bodyweight-only, and see how it feels.

If it feels fine, take some weight off and try the lift again. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t keep pushing that exercise. Live to fight another day. Catching issues early can prevent a minor tweak from becoming a major setback.

6. Know When to Call It

There’s a difference between working hard and working recklessly. If your form is breaking down, you’re shaking under the bar, and overall feeling gassed, the best idea might be to decrease the weight or even call it a day.