Garage Built crew... the weekend is upon us!
This means we get to go out and rip, whether it's MTB, MX, Enduro, jumping on the road bike, MMA, BJJ or heading down to the local box to represent GBA, whatever you're into, make the most of it! One of our favourite reasons to train is injury prevention, which sounds a bit counter intuitive when you consider the horror stories you can find on social media of weightlifting injuries and people getting pinned to benches and the like (JC Tee required, that's the key). Over the years we've competed in many sports and one thing that has been clear in our experience is that a well balanced, strength focused, program to support your sports training is beneficial in injury prevention. Clearly there are limits if you want to perform at an elite level in endurance, but if your interested in beating your mates at the weekend and you're able to invest 2-3 hours a week in a strength program it's going to pay dividends. There are also benefits to motor control, balance and spatial awareness that come from managing external loads in the weight room (garage gym!). You feel strong in action, this brings confidence, the confidence brings better performance and you're into a great feedback loop. For two wheeled sport we've found that posterior chain work allows us to maintain strong positions on the bike, deadlifts and kettlebell swings can be particularly useful to learn the hinge pattern which is commonly seen in high level bike sport athletes (MTB/MX) allowing them to maintain control of the rides while they are going buck wild. More control, less chance of going splat. For MMA explosive hips and overall strength are critical for many aspects of the game. A high body weight to strength ratio is super useful in a weight class based sport, where it effectively give you the ability to manhandle an opponent of similar weight. If technique is equal, an improved level of strength and conditioning will elevate your game. More control of your opponent, less chance of someone pulling your arm off like an angry Wookie. It's pretty common knowledge that strength training, via the exter nal loads placed on the body, increases bone density, this is also beneficial with regards to injury prevention as in a worst case scenario (we've been in some) a strong bone is clearly less likely to break in an impact. Couple this with an increase in muscle mass and you're effectively applying a coat of armour to yourself if you're invlolved in high impact sports. Again, there are diminishing returns, but in our experience (as @markbell) like to say 'strength is never a weakness'. So, if you're thinking about learning a new skill and you have a garage built background in strength and conditioning, be prepared to be steps ahead of any others that are new to the game. You'll be able to take the knocks that the initial learning period brings and with the work ethic built in the garage, that awesome progression stage when you start learning a new sport should stretch out way in front of you. Plus you'll be in a better place to shrug off any injuries you might pick up if you're already looking after yourself. So, what new sports are you practicing outside the garage? If you're thinking about bike sports or MMA and want a push in the right direction, let us know, we'd be happy to help!