Whether we make a dryer or a muscle gainThe best way to achieve your goal is to build up your muscles. With a adapted training, it is quite possible to sculpt your body. However, a poor execution of the movements or an inadequate program can quickly cause muscle injuries and therefore a more or less long break from the sessions. In order to live your sport without injury, it is important to follow some rules. I will explain to you right away what are the main causes and injury patterns and as a professional coach, I can give you some tips that could be very useful in avoiding them.
The main causes of injuries in bodybuilding
Muscle loss! This is what every bodybuilding enthusiast dreads. When you are injured, in order not to worsen the situation, you are forced to rest. If it is prolonged, your body risks to undergo a loss of mass on the long term. Fortunately for you, there is such a thing as muscle memory, and by returning to training gradually, you should be able to regain your muscles. In order to avoid this, it is good to know the main causes of injury.
Poor recovery
Resting or taking the necessary time is not a waste of time. Tendonitis, strains, joint pain or pain in your spine are all signs that you are not wrong. You have overworked your body and it is sending you a signal. Listen to it! Do not take time to recover could cause after-effects. Moreover, if you continue, it is likely that in addition to the pain, you will stagnate in terms of results. In order to continue practicing your sport without injury, listen to what you feel in your tendons or joints. Put your feet up and avoid excessive repetitions for several days.
An inappropriate posture
Poor posture is one of the main causes of injury. Not knowing how to set up properly on your bench, not lifting without taking certain precautions, wanting to go too fast will have a negative impact on your body. A poorly performed exercise will give less good results because it will not target the desired muscles and will mistakenly request certain ligaments or joints. In weight training, you are required to lift heavy loads. Improper positioning during intense physical effort is bound to cause injury.
Too heavy loads
As I just mentioned, weights impact your body. If used improperly, weights can cause damage. Put your ego aside, especially if you are a beginner. It's a mistake to think that lifting over 100kg is within your reach and will make you build muscle faster. You've barely mastered the exercises. Don't forget that bodybuilding is a sport that is worked on over time. The body needs to evolve gradually. Forcing it to speed up will make things worse. The key is to follow a good physical preparation and this starts with a stretching session and a breathing exercise. Static stretching helps to prevent sudden contraction of your muscles and injury.
Overwork ignored
Overtraining, especially for beginners, is often associated with injuries. Intense physical activity puts your body and your muscles to a severe test. This is the cause of muscle fractures and will hinder your progress in gaining weight. If a rest period is recommended in your program, it is not by chance. This time is essential for your body to function at its maximum capacity during the next session. Fatigue, poor sleep, loss of appetite or libido are all signs that should not be taken lightly. To find out more about signs of overtrainingI invite you to read this article.
The different types of injuries
To give you an idea of what can happen to you if you push yourself too hard, here are the most likely injuries.
Back pain
Described as the disease of the century, back pain in bodybuilding is the direct consequence of poorly executed movements. If a very technical movement such as a deadlift or a squat is poorly performed, your body will suffer the consequences. It is not recommended for a person with a herniated disc or scoliosis to do deadlifts. If not done properly, this movement could be dangerous. Excessive pressure on your spine, a round back or heavy weights will have harmful repercussions on your spine.
Tendonitis
Tendinitis is an inflammation of the tendons. It can occur in the arm, wrist, knee, but not only. If it is not treated in time, it can quickly become disabling. We don't always think about it, but the over-consumption of proteins (at a rate of more than 2.5 g/kg) favours the increase in the rate of uric acid which leads to inflammation of the tendons. To remedy this, it is important to drink a lot. Water is your ally in draining waste.
Fatigue fractures
Fatigue fractures, also known as stress fractures, are not fractures per se. It is an injury caused by overuse or overtraining. When you exercise, muscle and bone cells deteriorate and then renew themselves. If the rate of renewal is less than the rate of disappearance, your body runs the risk of becoming weakened. This is when stress fractures occur gradually.
Sprains
A sprain is an injury that occurs when the range of motion is greater than the normal range of motion of the joint. It is usually caused by a lack of warm-up or forced cold work. This type of injury can also cause a rupture of ligaments in its most severe form. The so-called mild sprain, also called a strain, will affect your ligaments. The medium sprain will cause the ligaments to stretch and begin to tear.
Muscle cramp
Very intense and unpredictable, the cramps can occur during exercise or at rest. The pain is both intense and sudden. In general, they are caused by a lack of carbohydrates, dehydration or deficiencies in potassium or vitamins (B1, B5, B6). Sports cramps are often related to the intense effort required by the exercise. They occur if the preparation or warm-up has not been sufficient, but also in situations of significant sweating during a sustained and prolonged contraction for example.
Tears
A muscle tear, also known as a muscle strain, is a tearing of the muscle fibres. In the best of cases, it only affects a few fibers, but in the most serious cases, it can be a tear in the muscle bundles accompanied by a hemorrhage. Most often, this violent impact is made on a contracted muscle. These muscle fibre tears occur when the pressure exerted on a muscle is greater than it can withstand.
5 tips to practice your sport without injury
How can you avoid injury and reduce muscle soreness during exercise? I give you 5 tips to put into practice from your first day of weight training. They will help you in any situation.
Adopt the right posture
You will have understood it, the posture must be looked after to work the muscle well, that you are on a bench of body-building, a machine or with the body weight. Think of working empty to memorize the good position. This setting in condition is essential to control the movement and especially to avoid the injuries.
Warm up effectively
For a safe workout, start by warming up. Remember that warming up depends on your level, your age, but also the rhythm of your day and your physical activity. To be operational, it is essential that your muscle temperature rises. A quarter of an hour should be enough. If you want examples of movements, I invite you to read my article on the importance of warming upI will give you tips and practical exercises.
Don't forget to stretch
Stretching can be done before or after your workout. They just won't be the same. For example, before your workout, you can do sheathing exercises to gently prepare your body, but also ballistic stretches. You will warm up your body while working on tendons and ligaments. After your session, the ideal is to do some stretching. This will allow you to relax and lower your muscle tension. If you don't have time to do it right away, you can still do it later in the day or possibly the next day. Better late than not at all.
Follow a complete weight training program adapted to your level
With the exception of good muscle soreness, which is not serious and is even normal, all the injuries I have mentioned can be avoided. To do this, you must adopt a progressive weight training program. This will allow you to evolve and reach your objectives. Take the time to get used to the loads when you lift them. Only then can you move on to the next step and increase the weight of your dumbbells. Also do the repetition with a full range of motion. Another important rule: do not use the same muscle group more than 3 times a week. It needs 48 hours of rest to fully recover after a maximum session. After a training cycle, take about a week to recover. This time is essential, because a strength cycle solicits and tires your central nervous system. Your body and brain need this time to recover.
Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet in addition to training
Injury-free sport goes hand in hand with good nutrition and hydration. A healthy and balanced diet is essential for success. It is not a question of starving your body. You must provide it with the necessary protein, fibre and vitamin resources or high-calorie meals (a calorie deficit can slow down recovery, particularly in the event of injury). Each food plays a role, like good fat for example. Your body must have a sufficient supply of Omega 3 compared to Omega 6. Omega 3 helps to optimise your sporting performance and helps you to fight against inflammation. Vegetables, which are generally low in calories, also play a role, as they are a source of vitamins and minerals, like fruit. You can also compensate by taking food supplements.
Things to remember
Knowing how to train is the essence of bodybuilding. Respect your body with an appropriate program and a healthy diet. You will gain everything, but above all you will avoid having to stop for an error of judgement. Now you know the most common injuries. It's up to you to listen to your body to identify the signals. Remember, an overused and tired muscle will eventually atrophy and melt away. If you are immobilized for a while, be reassured all the same. Muscle memory exists, your muscles will come back quickly.
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3 Comments
Julien do you think collagen is good for preventing injuries?
I have tendonitis in my shoulder which prevents me from training properly
It comes and goes and I don't think I can treat it properly so I sometimes don't go to training for 3 days in a row because some exercises are impossible for me to do
do you have any advice for me julien
it's very disabling so I'll probably have to see my doctor
thank you julien
I see that you take a lot of food supplements in your you tube videos to prevent injuries, could you make a video on the subject?