Injury Prevention in Powerlifting

 

 

by Stephen Pritchard

One of the most important things you can do to progress: injury prevention.

Most people who are serious about getting stronger will spend hours chasing down the latest training program and will spend countless dollars on the latest supplements. They know progress comes at a cost and they will put in a lot of effort to move ahead. It’s amazing therefore that people will spend so little time on injury prevention. A lot of people I know have a completely reactive approach to mobility and preventative work. For example, they wait until they have a problem and then try to fix it. One of the greatest obstacles you will face in your journey will be injury, so why wouldn’t you do what you can to avoid this?

As a powerlifter there are a range of common issues I have faced and here is how I have addressed them:

• Shoulders – addressed through rotator cuff strengthening, upper back strength and stability and mobility work targeting the shoulder and pecs
• Lower back, glute, hip – addressed through mobility work targeting hip flexor, hamstring, tensor fasciae latae, piriformis and psoas
• Knee pain – addressed by strengthening and mobility work targeting the iliotibial band and rectus femoris
• If you want to know how to work on these areas I suggest you check out Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett or the video blog at http://www.mobilitywod.com/
• Get some power bands, some massage balls, some flossing bands and a foam roller. This stuff is a game changer.

Stretching versus mobilisation
I know there are some well documented reasons to avoid static stretching before you train. I recall seeing research that looked at how static stretching had a negative impact on explosive strength performance if done immediately before lifts were executed. I have also heard plenty of anecdotal stuff about increased risk of injury. But it’s important to differentiate between active, functional mobility work and the old school static stretch.

I incorporate mobility work into my warm-up and it helps prepare my body for what it is about to do. Before training I use bands and work the body through movements that loosen things up where they need to be loosened without creating issue for the lifts I am about to do. For example, for squats I will do lunge stretches and open up the groin, working adductors, piriformis, TFL and hip flexors. I also perform the squat drill, where I sit as deep as I can and stretch out the ligaments and muscles around the lower back. This all replicates the movements and mechanics I about to get into under load, but allows me to do so without tightness pulling my body in directions that can create serious problems. This is preparation. I also stretch after training for recovery. That work targets ‘hot spots’ and areas that have tightened up. Once again, this is all functional mobilisation.

Take this seriously. This may be one of the most important pieces of the puzzle for moving ahead.