- Dynamic Warm-up: Get to your session early and warm-up with movement. Take your body through the types of movement patterns that you’re about to perform. This should include;
- Deep squats
- Walking lunges
- Box jumps
- Trunk twists, and
- Plank holds (front and side)
- Sleep: There is an increased risk of injury with less than the recommended 7-8hrs of sleep for adults. Sleep is something you cannot compromise due to early morning sessions. Set your alarm to go to bed, as well as to wake up.
- Mobilise Daily: Your body’s workload is about to increase. With this should come measures to ensure your soft-tissues (muscles, joints, tendons) aren’t stiff or tight. We recommend 15-20min per day of rolling, trigger ball release work and spine mobility (yoga type movement).
- Modify Exercises Where Needed: Consistency is the key. If you need to, lower the impact of a session by modifying movements, reducing the weight or decreasing your range of movement. Keeping your training consistent is a much better option than missing sessions completely. Over time, your body will adapt to training, which will improve your results and decrease the chance of sustaining an injury.
- Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself: Chat with your trainers about movements you’re not confident with, or techniques you need may correcting. Train with intensity but maintain your technique. Common areas to check:
- Jump and landing – soft landing with knees over feet.
- Deadlifts – neutral spine and loading hamstrings and glutes more than lumbar erectors.
- Plank – protracted shoulders, neutral neck, low hips with glute and quad squeeze.
ENJOY THE CHALLENGE
By Jason Clarke