Best Exercise Advice From An Injured Athlete

In April 2022, I herniated my L5-S1 (two vertebrae at the lower part of my spine). It took me almost two years to fully recover. During that time,  met with several doctors and physical therapists, a chiropractor, and an acupuncturist. I have gained much wisdom about how to minimize the risks of exercising. 

Squats

Squats are an effective exercise for targeting the glutes and quadriceps. However, they can also lead to injury if performed incorrectly.  

1. Keep your chest lifted.
2. Sink your hips back.
3. Keep your knees bent even when standing up.
4. Your hips should never drop below your knees.

Instead of squats, you can always do leg presses. They engage the same muscles without risking back injury. My chiropractor, who was a bodybuilder, once told me that no one can tell the difference between someone who does leg presses and someone who does squats, so why risk injury? 

Bench Press

Bench presses are great for strengthening your chest. You can perform this exercise with a bar or free weights (chest flies). I personally favor free weights because there’s no risk of being crushed by a bar. However, neither exercise is wrong.

1. If you’re lifting heavy weights, have a spotter nearby.
2. Make sure the bar is over your chest (not your head or ribs).
3. Your arms should not form an angle less than 90 degrees. My general rule is not to let my elbows go past the bench.
4. If you cannot lift the bar and are without a spotter, tilt the bar to one side so the plates fall off.

Instead of doing bench presses, you can do push-ups. To work your chest and shoulders, keep your elbows out to the sides, not straight back. You can do push-ups with your elbows back, but that would be a triceps push-up.

Lunges

Of all the exercises, lunges are by far my favorite for building glute muscle. However, improper form can lead to injury. Consider these tips:

1. Your knee should never extend past your toes. Keep your knee in line with your ankle.
2. Make sure your hips face forward.
3. To engage your glutes more, focus on pressing up with your inner heel.
4. Try to get both legs to a 90-degree angle at the bottom of your lunge.

While I love lunges, there are plenty of other exercises you can do that have the same effect (fire hydrants, hip thrusts, deadlifts, squats, cable kickbacks, hamstring curls, etc.) If you’re interested in joining a class to get stronger glutes, I highly recommend pilates.

Dead Lifts

I adore deadlifts because they are the only exercise I know how to do that really targets my hamstrings. However, this was also one of the exercises that injured my back. Here are my tips on how to avoid getting a similar injury:

1. Keep your knees bent, even when standing up.
2. Tuck your chin. You should be looking about two to three feet ahead.
3. Keep the weights touching your thighs when lowering or standing up.
4. Focus on using your glutes to stand up, not your lower back (keeping the weights close to your body will help).
5. To engage your back, draw your shoulders back and down, and think about squeezing your shoulder blades together.

If you have never done this exercise, I highly recommend it. Do not be afraid to go slowly. The slower you go, the more intentional you can be. 

General Tips

Here are some general tips on how to avoid injury while exercising:

1. Always stretch before and after each workout, especially if you do not want to be sore the next day.
2. Always warm up each muscle group you plan to exercise that day.
3. If you want to tone your muscles, use lighter weights and do more repetitions.
4. Speed is not the point when lifting weights. The slower and more controlled you are, the more you will engage your muscles.
5. Take small sips of water more often instead of chugging.
6. Exercise your own way; do not worry about what the person next to you is doing.
7. Stop immediately if something is painful and readjust—maybe by using less weight or skipping the exercise entirely. 
8. Wear tennis shoes. Your ankles and feet will thank you. (Most gyms discourage being barefoot, but at home, being barefoot is the best way to work out.)

There are so many amazing exercises in the world. Before you try something new, make sure to do your research or ask your local gym instructor. Getting injured is the worst. Recovery is even worse. Save yourself the trouble, steel your pride, and ask for help.

Featured image via Jonathan Borba on Pexels