Trainer Tyler ensuring proper squat form during a training session
Training For Sport Versus Training For Health Reasons
I recently came across a research study titled “A 4 year Analysis of the Incidence of Injuries Among Crossfit Trained Participants.” This particular article intrigued me because CrossFit has become such a popular training style for many people. What many people don’t realize is that CrossFit was designed as a sport and for its athletes to compete in competitions. Now many people join a CrossFit gym because they think it’s the thing to do to get healthy, but in the study mentioned above, 30% of participants reported an injury in the previous 12 months of participation. This is alarmingly high for someone training to be healthy.
The most concerning statement in the article above is that CrossFit is deemed safe with a 30% injury rate! This means 3 out of 10 people will walk away in worse condition than they started…yikes! This number is more reasonable if you really want to compete in the CrossFit Games and an injury results during the training or competition, but if this is a recreational activity for you, it might be time to pick a new activity!
Safety First
Titanium Performance performs strength training to prevent injuries. We pride ourselves on the safety of our programs due to slower movements and moving the body the way it was designed to move. As strength improves, the integrity of the joint is improved and lowers risk for injury in the joints. The muscles are progressively overloaded without sudden jerky movements or momentum to keep from unnecessarily straining the muscle or joint.
Recovery Time
Titanium Performance also emphasizes proper recovery time between training sessions which often gets neglected when training for competitions or other training programs. When executed properly, resistance training creates micro-tears in the muscle. These micro-tears require 48-72 hours of recovery time to build back stronger than they were prior to the training session. As this process is repeated with each training session, clients begin to see results. If the muscles aren’t given proper recovery time, clients will miss out on the opportunity to maximize the benefits from resistance training.
Strength Training to Improve Performance
With the above being stated, a properly executed resistance training routine can improve sport performance (even CrossFit performance!!). Practicing the skill of a sport and resistance training should always be performed as two different sessions and should not be combined. The strength routine should train each individual muscle or group of muscles combined with adequate recovery time. The skill practice of the sport (even weightlifting sports) should be practiced separately. I have seen weights added to skill practice and this does more harm than good. When resistance is added to a skill it becomes an entirely new skill due to the brain’s specificity. Performance improves by making the muscles stronger during resistance training, enabling the muscle to execute greater force during the skill and increasing the efficiency of the neuromuscular pathway. Contact Titanium Performance for more information on how to improve your overall health and performance!
If you’re interested in reading more about how Titanium Performance can help improve your overall health while keeping safety in mind, reference other blog posts here.