No matter if you’re new to CrossFit, a seasoned trainer or a professional, injuries can happen to anyone.
After an injury, it’s important to focus on how you return to CrossFit. With this in mind, here are some ways to overcome the initial hurdles of an injury, stay motivated and ease your way back into your training.
Get the go-ahead from your Doctor
Before you even think about setting foot back in a gym, make sure you get cleared by the licensed medical professional who has overseen your injury.
Rushing back into training without being given the go-ahead by your doctor or medical professional, is the easiest way to reinjure yourself or do additional damage. Even when the person overseeing your treatment has cleared you to work out, make sure you get their advice on returning to training. Come prepared with a rundown of limitations or concerns to give you coach. Making them aware of any restrictions will help you both during your next workout.
Coming back to training
With the right program and professional oversight, you can still train the areas that aren’t affected by your injury. Get a good coach who can adjust your training to suit your needs.
Whether you want to regain strength from an injury or maintain your fitness while you overcome it, modifications are the best way to keep your CrossFit training safe and prevent further setbacks.
Make modifications your mate
Challenging yourself is one of the most rewarding things about CrossFit. Instead of seeing an injury as a restriction, consider it a challenge to work around.
With the help of your coach, modify your training and set ambitious but achievable and realistic goals for yourself. Get creative with the areas you can work. Hurt your wrist? Perfect opportunity to build your core strength. Damaged your shoulder? More time for lunges and squats. Using your recovery time as a way to focus on other goals is a great way to keep your strength, fitness and motivation up.
Listen to your body
When you’re in the middle of your Workout of the Day (WOD), you’re focused on the signals that your body is sending you. You take rests, you reset, or you stop if you need to. When you’re recovering from an injury, these same principles apply.
Listening to your body is always important, but it’s critical when you’re coming back from an injury. While we all embrace the competitiveness of WODs, when you have an injury you need to respect your own limitations even more so during training. Pay particular attention to the affected area. If you start to feel it ache, it’s probably your body’s way of telling you to stop.
Rest and recovery
Rest and recovery are an everyday part of CrossFit training and are vital when you have sustained an injury. Instead of rushing back into your usual pace of training and fighting off the pain, focus instead on recognising when you need to rest.
You should also be devoting extra attention to your recovery period. Be it taking extra cool down time, using heat on sore spots or seeing a specialised masseuse, look after yourself. Respecting and giving further respite to your body will pay off in the long run.
With any injury, there is a lesson to be learned and a challenge to overcome. Setting yourself achievable goals and focusing on your wellbeing is the most beneficial way to keep up your training after an injury. Remember to listen to the professionals, such as your doctor and coach, as they guide you through your recovery. They are there to help you keep up your training as well as ensure you look after your health in the long-term.[/vc_column_text][us_message icon=”fa-info”]Ready to start your journey towards better health? The first step is to book yourself in for a FREE NO-SWEAT SESSION. All you need to do is CLICK HERE and complete the form. Then one of our coaches will call you right away to discuss your goals.