How to Get Back into Strength Training After Injury

Have you torn your hamstring? Shattered your ankle? Stressed your spinal cord?

Whether you’re an athlete or a fitness junkie, an injury can be devastating. It not only puts a damper on your fitness goals, but it also halts your momentum to make way for the recovery process.

The good news is that, for most people, it’s very possible to bounce back to your prime level of fitness.

However, it’ll need some degree of patience and effort on your part. Here are some tips on how to make a comeback after a physical injury.

1) Get the OK from a professional

Even if the pain goes away after a couple of days, it’s important to get a professional opinion from your doctor or orthopedist. They’ll be able to tell you what you can and can’t do with your body, what type of injury you’re facing, and what the road to recovery may look like. Moreover, you’ll have peace of mind while strength training knowing that you’re not worsening your problem.

If you work with a professional sports trainer, consider their opinion as well. They may recommend specific stretching and strengthening exercises to help aid in the rehabilitation process. They may also recommend to you gentler exercises before progressing to more difficult workouts.

2) Don’t expect to pick up where you left off

Just because you were bench pressing 200 pounds before your injury doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to do the same thing after you recover. Deconditioning is a normal part of the process. It’s important to ease back into lifting and avoid trying to max out on your first few sessions back.

Start with lower weights and fewer repetitions to get a feel for the movement again. Then as you begin to feel more comfortable, you can start to increase the weight and volume. Remember, it took you months or years to get to the level you were before the injury, so don’t expect to regain all your strength overnight.

If you don’t want to tempt yourself into doing too much too soon at the gym, consider buying some home gym equipment. You can find a range of strength equipment online or at your local sporting goods store.

3) Try other exercises

If you’re dealing with a major injury, there’s a chance that some exercises may aggravate it. However, if the injury is concentrated in only one area, you should consider exercises that don’t put stress on that part of the body.

For example, if you developed a herniated disc from lifting weights, you can try doing other fun activities that don’t require any weightlifting, such as swimming or cycling.

These exercises will help keep you active and get your muscles working while you’re on the road to recovery. And once you start feeling more like yourself again, you can start to slowly add weightlifting back into your routine.

4) Listen to your body

It’s one thing to undergo and overcome the mental and physical intensity of a heart-pumping workout. It’s another thing to try to give it your best effort while your injuries haven’t fully healed yet.

If something doesn’t feel right or you’re in too much pain, stop immediately. It’s better to take a step back and recover fully before getting back into strength training. If you still have pain when doing chores and tasks around the house, this is a good indicator that the gym isn’t a place you should be in yet.

Get as much rest as possible and give your body time to heal—the last thing you’d want is to be benched for good.

5) Focus on your form

Bad form is often the root cause of injuries; it may have even been the primary cause of your initial injury. When you’re finally ready to ease back into strength training, make sure that you focus on your form.

General principles of a good form include maintaining a tall posture, keeping your core engaged, and moving slowly and smoothly through the range of motion. If you’re not sure about your form, ask a certified personal trainer or fitness coach at your gym to help you out.

6) Get your head in the game

Getting injured can be a confidence-knocker and momentum killer, so it’s important to ease back into strength training with a positive and determined mindset.

Focus on your goals and what you want to achieve. Set small, achievable milestones along the way to ensure you don’t veer off course. And most importantly, don’t get discouraged. Even the best athletes have had moments of injury, but have since risen from their adversity.

Trust us. With the right technique and lots of patience, you’ll be back to crushing your reps and setting new PRs in no time.