Rule #1 for Maximizing Strength Gains: Pursue Safety Before Strength
My experiences in Army Basic Training taught me something about enhancing the safety of exercise
[Header: this article is part of a 9-part series about maximizing your strength gains]
Army Basic Training. It can be intimidating to say the least. I know because I have first-hand experience listening to Drill Sergeants yell orders. But not as a Soldier. I experienced Basic Training as a scientist.
Training-induced injuries (not combat injuries, but injuries sustained while training in preparation for combat) cost the Army billions of dollars per year. So, investing in a scientific study that predicts which soldiers might be at risk of injury – and then, importantly, preventing those injuries from happening in the first place – is money well-spent. With that context in mind, my fellow Army scientists (and good friends) designed an important study to help the Army reduce training-induced injuries during Basic Training. The study involved us going to Basic Training for a couple of weeks at the beginning and end of Basic Training. We used this time to measure everything that might be important for predicting injuries (like the soldiers’ exercise habits before beginning Basic Training, their diet, their sleep, their blood, the structure of their bones, and the amount of muscle and fat on their bodies, among other measurements). We also tracked the soldiers’ medical records to see which soldiers got injured and which soldiers stayed healthy. Then, equipped with this new information, we could make recommendations to the Army on how to keep soldiers as injury-free as possible. Besides the fact that we routinely had to wake up at around 3am in order to arrive at the Army base in time to take the measurements (and then work long and grueling days) it was, at times, downright fun — and even when it wasn’t necessarily fun, it was definitely memorable to witness people being transformed from civilians into soldiers right before our eyes.
Our study found several valuable insights for preventing injuries, like the importance of maintaining healthy exercise, diet, and sleep habits. But one finding is particularly noteworthy for this article: soldiers who drastically increased their daily exercise in the 2 months prior to basic training (in an attempt to rapidly get in shape) were at increased risk of muscle and bone injuries.
So what is the key message from this research with soldiers? Don’t let your enthusiasm to get stronger outpace your body’s ability to adapt. In other words, if you’re new to strength training then, first, learn how to perform all the exercises correctly — and then slowly build up your training intensity and volume over multiple months before you begin pushing the limits of your strength.
And this brings us to the overarching theme of today’s article: what are the safety considerations of strength training?
First, before beginning strength training (or any new physically demanding activity, for that matter), you should determine if it’s medically safe. The simplest approach is to complete a quick screening form (the PAR-Q+) to determine if you can immediately begin strength training, or if you need additional clearance from a physician first. Your physician — or an exercise professional — can also help you determine which exercises are safe for you and which exercises to avoid based on your medical conditions.
Second, once you’ve determined which exercises you want to perform (which is the topic of next week’s article), then spend some time learning how to perform each exercise correctly. This is where seeking help from a qualified exercise professional (like an exercise physiologist or personal trainer) really adds value. Not only will an exercise professional teach you how to perform exercises correctly, which potentially reduces injury, but training with a exercise professional results in greater strength gains over time when compared to training unsupervised.
Third, while you’re performing strength training exercises, but mindful to breathe throughout the lifting phase (and avoid what scientists call a Valsalva maneuver), as this could cause an unsafe rise in blood pressure and lead to a fainting or event a life-threatening vascular event like a stroke.
Fourth, as we learned from my experience with soldiers going through Basic Training, start your training with low exercise intensity (a load that is about half of your maximal weight for a given exercise) and a low exercise volume (as little as one set per exercise) — and slowly progress the intensity and volume over the first couple of months or so.
Next, remember that soreness is a natural side-effect of strength training. Soreness can be particularly noticeable during the first few weeks, which further supports my recommendation to start with a light load and low volume (no need to make the soreness any worse!). But, if the muscle soreness becomes persistent pain, or if you’re feeling pain in your joints, then it’s best to stop exercising and follow-up with a medical provider. As an example, performing excessive amounts of exercise before your body is fully prepared can lead to a dangerous condition called rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is characterized by extreme muscle damage, which causes the large amounts of the proteins inside your muscles to leak into the blood, thus causing dark brown urine (like the color of tea or cola). Rhabdomyolysis can cause kidney damage and even death, so: 1) don’t push yourself too hard during initial few weeks of training; 2) stay hydrated during exercise; and 3) if you notice excessive muscle pain and dark brown urine, then immediately seek medical attention.
Finally, remember that the tips that I’ll be providing to maximize strength gains are for people who can safely perform strength training. If you have a health condition and/or your physician recommends a conservative approach, then my tips might not be for you.
To summarize, maximizing the safety of strength training can be enhanced by the following steps:
Before beginning strength training, make sure it’s medically safe by taking a brief questionnaire and, if necessary, seeking guidance from a your physician.
Learn how to perform each exercise correctly. This is where hiring an exercise professional really adds value.
When performing exercises, be sure to breathe while lifting the weight to avoid an unsafe rise in blood pressure.
Remember the lessons I learned from Army Basic Training: start easy and progress slowly over the first couple of months, as this will give your body plenty of time to adapt before you start to push the limits of your strength gains.
Soreness is normal, but if you experience persistent pain in your muscles or joints, then stop exercising and immediately follow-up with a medical provider.