Are exercises dangerous?
There's a trend online at the moment for trainers talking in absolutes.
We have those saying certain exercises are dangerous
And those arguing exercises have a lower injury rate than most sports so are safe.
Is there such a thing as a dangerous exercise?
The truth is, as always more nuanced that social media allows
Which is why the absolutists have more followers than I do!
I have trained world champion athletes beside cancer survivors
Full Contact, competitive martial artists beside pregnant ladies
Mountain biking champions beside middle aged desk jockeys
So a range of different folks.
Here's my take on what's dangerous.
If I train an Athlete and they get hurt in training, they are now less effective as an Athlete. We may have just scuppered their chance of winning. We're certainly now having to adapt and may not peak as planned.
If I train a fitness enthusiast and they get hurt in training, they are inconvenienced but can continue with an adjusted training plan with a concurrent rehab plan and there is little to lose.
If I train anyone and they get hurt in training, is it because I gave them an exercise they weren't ready for?
Was I not paying attention?
Did they go too heavy or too fast?
What did I miss?
All exercises carry some risk. Some more than others.
The risk I'd often more about the individual than the exercise.
I couldn't back squat for years, it aggravated my injuries.
It was a dangerous exercise for me. Front squats were safer.
Does that means front squats are safer for everyone?
No.
Sometimes it the inverse
Sometimes there's no difference at all.
It depends on the individual
Are deadlifts dangerous?
Yes.
For some.
Can we prepare an individual so they can deadlift safely?
Probably.
Not in every case, but more often than not.
Does everyone need to deadlift?
Absolutely not.
So is it the exercise that is dangerous or is it the individual that is doing the exercise?
I'd say it's the individual.
Coaching is about fitting exercises to the individual
And as the individual changes and develops, so does the risk:reward benefits of various exercises.
It's simple
Not easy
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Regards
Dave Hedges
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