Injuries are an innate risk of sports and athletics, but there are many preventative measures proven to help minimize the potential for injuries. One of these measures is known as resistance training, and it’s valuable for competitive and recreational athletes alike.

What is Resistance Training?

Also known as strength training, resistance training uses the resistance of muscular contraction to build strength. With regular and repeated resistance training, an athlete can build stronger muscles that are less prone to injury. While resistance training has been well-known for years for its positive impact on speed and agility, it’s often overlooked as a means for injury prevention.

Resistance Training and Bones

Bone is a living tissue, so it’s capable of adapting to whatever forces and stresses it endures. This is why physically active people demonstrate better bone mineral density than people who are sedentary. Routine resistance training can boost the positive impacts on bone by increasing bone mineral density and bone strength. These improvements reduce the risk of stress fractures and broken bones.

Resistance Training and Muscle

It’s no secret that muscle is a core element to athletic success, but it’s also a critical element of general health. Lower muscle mass causes poor muscle strength and subsequently dramatically increases the risk of injury. Resistance training helps to avoid such risk by strengthening functional ability.

Types of Resistance Training

Resistance training can occur in a whole host of ways. Machine weights, free weights, and body weight are all effective if done with the correct form.

It’s vital that athletes use resistance training equally around the body, as muscle imbalance is one of the leading causes of injury. If one muscle or muscle group is stronger than others, the weaker muscles fatigue quickly and open the body to injury. By working the whole body in sync, athletes can strengthen all muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones to protect from injury as efficiently as possible.