As we age, our bodies become more prone to injury. However, there are proven steps we can take to prevent injury and keep our bodies strong and functioning well no matter how old we are. Building muscle can protect our bones and joints against injury, and strength training is a great way to stay healthy and active at all ages.
Many people fear strength training because they worry it will be hard on the body and may even cause injury. However, the method we use at Loyalty Fitness allows you to build muscle in a controlled, safe, and effective manner. Super-slow strength training can help prevent injuries and help rehab the body from previous injuries. Many of our clients come to us scared or hesitant after experiencing an injury during exercise on their own or through working with other trainers. Our personal trainers are certified in corrective exercise that focuses on helping you build muscle without causing injury – which is the overall goal! Here are three ways that strength training can actually prevent injuries.
Building Muscle
As noted, building muscle can protect your body from injury. As we get older, our bodies are more susceptible to injury simply through the process of aging. Our bones become less dense and lose calcium as we age – but by building muscle after 50 you can protect yourself from breaks. Strength training creates physiological changes in your bones, muscles, and connective tissues through weight loading. When a load is placed on your bones, the bone changes and increases in density. As you strengthen and mobilize the connective tissue and muscle in your body, you not only protect your bones but you protect those tissues from injury as well. Strength training helps to build your muscles and tendons while also increasing the flexibility of your ligaments which reduces the risk of tears and strains.
Low Impact
The super-slow strength training method is low impact. All trainers at Loyalty Fitness go through an extensive certification program specifically designed around working with those who have had injuries and super-slow strength training to prevent injuries. The ability to build muscle through low impact exercise is key for those either recovering from a previous injury or those trying to avoid a new injury. If you’ve had an exercise-related injury, it can be hard to want to get back in the game. However, super-slow strength training provides the perfect option for those looking to stay healthy and active without the demands of other methods. Often, people think of strength training and weight training as intense and hard on the body. While some forms of it can be, super-slow strength training provides all the same benefits and ability to build muscle without the harsh impact on the body. In fact, those with previous injuries like back or knee injuries have found that using super-slow strength training helps them rebuild their strength without pain and fear.
Less Time
One of the greatest things about super-slow strength training for injury prevention is that it takes less time than other methods. Often when people think of hitting the gym, they envision hours upon hours spent each week training their bodies. However, super-slow strength training actually takes less time and is more effective. Because super-slow strength training demands a lot from your muscles, you only need to do it a couple of times a week for just 30 minutes at a time. Even with this reduced time commitment, you’ll still see the results of other weight training methods.
To learn more about super-slow strength training injury prevention, or to schedule a consultation with one of our certified trainers, contact us today!