By Capt. Brianna Startzell-Nuñez
U.S. Army Medical Department Activity-Fort Carson
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “endgame” as the stage of a chess game after major reduction of forces.
The final moves of chess, or any game, can greatly alter the outcome; yet the masterminds behind the moves usually are planning multiple steps ahead.
Resistance training should be approached in the same manner. There are many popular articles about progressions and principles of training. People sometimes read articles such as these with the hope of running faster, achieving a personal record or just beating the guy next to them.
Along the way, important elements of training are left out like preparation, which includes mobility, stabilization and isolated strength training. Worst of all, while training, many people tend to focus on one set of muscle groups and neglect others, either with improper training plans or with poor mechanics. In order to maximize the body’s capabilities and prevent injury, all components should be considered in a training program. The importance of body mechanics, as it pertains to resistance training, cannot be stressed enough.
Using proper body mechanics during training is key. Common exercises performed incorrectly may lead to an imbalance between muscles surrounding the joints.
For example, chest muscles can become strong and have no opposing activation from the shoulder blade and back muscles. This causes the head of the upper arm to sit forward in the joint, creating the possibility of shoulder impingement. Impingement occurs when the rotator cuff muscle is compressed, causing inflammation and wear and tear over time.
This can lead to a rotator cuff tear, which is why it’s important to exercise the back and shoulder musculature by performing exercises such as the row by squeezing the shoulder blades together while pulling the arms backward. Without shoulder blade activation, stress is increased at the front of the shoulder, which leads to potential injury.
Another example of improper lifting mechanics is seen with a deadlift. While this is a common exercise, many people overuse their back due to a lack of hip hinge. Lack of a hip hinge during the deadlift creates stress on both the spine and knees.
In a deadlift position after grasping the bar, there should be a slight stretch on the hamstrings with weight distributed into the hips. Keep the spine straight while moving through the hips. The hips should be moving forward as the trunk raises, so the back isn’t being overused. At the end of the standing position, your glutes should be pressing forward and your back should not remain in a flexed or extended position. This allows your glutes, hamstrings and quadricepts to share the load along with your back muscles. The mechanics are incorrect when back muscles feel more of the work than the leg muscles.
So, what is the endgame? Learn proper exercise techniques to prevent injury while achieving goals. Whether it’s to run an 11-minute, 2-mile run or be fit until you’re 80-years old; learning about proper body mechanics can be achieved with the help of a Fort Carson athletic trainer, strength coach or physical therapist.