It’s no secret that Australians love social sport. However with over 50,000 sport-related accidents yearly, harm prevention wants extra consideration. Preseason energy coaching is the important thing to making sure an injury-free 2023.
As summer time involves an in depth and newbie sport seasons start to kick off, many Australians might be chafing on the bit to get again into motion on the sporting subject. Whereas social sport is an integral a part of many lives, the wholesome pastime ends in 1000’s of yearly accidents – with males greater than twice as more likely to find yourself in hospital. To make sure you’re giving all of it on the taking part in subject with out worrying about accidents, analysis has revealed the most effective factor you are able to do is situation your physique with preseason coaching.
You would possibly suppose preseason coaching is reserved for jacked-up pro-athletes who work out for a residing and have an entourage of private trainers and conditioning coaches following them round all day lengthy, however you’d be mistaken. Jetts Health is encouraging on a regular basis athletes to hit the gymnasium and be sensible about their preseason prep to cut back the chance of harm. Whether or not you’re a seasoned veteran or sporting beginner, analysis exhibits that energy coaching can minimise your danger of harm by two-thirds.
We had a chat with Jetts private coach Mark Cowie, who has labored with skilled and newbie rugby groups, about why preseason coaching is essential for an injury-free season. Cowie says that regardless of how ready you suppose you’re, you’ll be able to at all times do extra. “It doesn’t matter how match you’re in case your physique can’t transfer by the motions required on your chosen sport,” Cowie stated.
The explanation harm numbers in newbie sport are so excessive is as a result of most on a regular basis athletes are fully unprepared for the challenges of sport. You’ll be able to’t anticipate to go from minimal bodily exercise to a excessive depth sweat session with no points. “Once you step onto the court docket or onto the pitch, you’re doing actions that you simply wouldn’t do in your on a regular basis life. In your strategy to work this morning, you in all probability didn’t get tackled,” Cowie stated. “With the best coaching and restoration, you’ll be able to make sure that you’ll have the ability to play for the entire season.”
For the report, the game with probably the most accidents is soccer. With 3,279 annual illnesses. Adopted by Australian guidelines soccer with 2,776 and rugby with 2,653. Cowie insists that it doesn’t matter what sport you play and regardless of your expertise stage, preseason conditioning is the important thing to staying harm free for the total season. And to get the most effective bang on your buck, the main focus must be on full-body energy coaching. “Stretching, mobility, cardiovascular work and endurance work is vital as properly, however good foundational energy will assist scale back your danger of harm and is transferable into just about each single sport.”
To get that full physique burn and guarantee each muscle has additional safety from harm, Cowie says to focus totally on compound actions with a number of unilateral workouts. Throughout preseason, the secret’s to prioritise a better rep vary earlier than transitioning into much less reps with extra weight all year long. “Your frequency and depth would possibly drop, nevertheless it’s vital to maintain pushing, even when it’s simply to take care of energy and your bodily means,” he added.
Hitting the gymnasium isn’t the one strategy to scale back your danger of harm. Vitamin is one other essential side of conditioning and restoration. Cowie says it is best to prioritise high-protein, good high quality meals for the most effective outcomes. “You’re going to be growing your coaching quantity, you don’t wish to be reducing energy – fairly specializing in fuelling your physique for efficiency.”
With preseason’s already underway and one other gruelling 12 months of sport proper across the nook, right here’s a full-body exercise that may bulletproof your physique and minimise your danger of harm, courtesy of Mark Cowie.
Damage Prevention Exercise

Barbell Squats
As Cowie says, compound workouts are the simplest strategy to goal a number of muscle teams. These workouts are typically harder and intense, so Cowie recommends placing them at the beginning of your exercise. “It’s finest to begin along with your greatest and hardest workouts. I’d begin off with squats which work your shoulders all the way down to the legs, in addition to the core and higher physique coming in to stabilise.”
Break up Stance Romanian Deadlifts
One other compound train, break up stance Romanian deadlifts (often known as RDL’s by gymnasium veterans) goal your hamstrings, glutes and spinal erectors. The motion additionally prompts your hip joints, which is right preparation for basically any sport.
Single Leg Squats
Unilateral workouts are subsequent up. These are nice as a result of they will let you practice either side of your physique equally with out favouring your dominant aspect. Single leg squats particularly present explosive energy and versatile motion throughout your decrease physique.
Dumbbell Press
We now transfer on to the higher physique. Cowie prefers to make use of dumbbells as an alternative of barbells for this phase to permit a concentrate on constructing energy in every particular person arm.
Barbell Rows
Barbell rows are one other compound train that particularly targets your again muscle tissue. You’ll be able to carry out rows with dumbbells as properly, however Cowie says utilizing a barbell permits for a extra full train. “That method our complete posterior chain is working not simply to tug the bar but additionally to stabilise the physique in that place,” he stated.
Single Arm Press
One other unilateral train, this time concentrating on your shoulders. Shoulder energy and versatile rotator cuff’s are essential in a litany of sports activities, which means you received’t wish to disregard the advantages of constructing boulder shoulders.
Aspect Planks
On the finish of the exercise, Cowie says it’s essential to “End off with some smaller accent workouts.” Whereas these workouts work much less muscle teams, they’re not at all much less intense. Aspect planks activate the core and Mark says the train finisher will “Stabilise our hips all through the trunk.”
Preseasons throughout Australia are at the moment getting underway. Jetts Health is looking upon on a regular basis athletes to be sensible about their coaching to make sure a profitable sporting season with out harm. Head to their web site for extra data: jetts.com.au