Bodyweight training is one the simplest and most effective ways to build muscle, gain strength and improve your fitness. But like any form of resistance exercise it needs to be approached with a little bit of caution. Here are four simple strategies you can use to make your bodyweight workouts easier on your joints and connective tissues so you can maximise the benefits while minimising the risk of injury.
Slow Down
During a fast, explosive repetition there is a big surge in force production at the beginning of the exercise (which exposes your joints to injury) followed by a complete drop-off as momentum does the rest. During a slow, controlled repetition your muscles produce just enough force to move your body creating more stable and constant tension throughout the exercise. The net result is your muscles do more meaningful work and your connective tissues are protected from large fluctuations in force. Win win!
Reduce The Impact
To make people sore and sweaty (and thus provide the illusion of effectiveness) many mass-market bodyweight programs involve loads and loads of jumping! Far more than is healthy or necessary. The combination of launching yourself up in the air coupled with freefalling back down multiplies the forces going through your joints as they absorb each impact with the ground. Add in the faulty landing mechanics (which become almost inevitable when you are doing hundreds of repetitions) and you have a pretty bad prescription for long-term joint health. My advice, keep jumping to a minimum.
Avoid LOADING IN Extreme Ranges Of Motion
Putting high levels of force through your joints and connective tissues when they are in a stretched position is one of the best ways to cause injury. For example, depth push ups are inherently riskier for your shoulders than regular push ups. I’ve learnt this lesson the hard way. Many advanced bodyweight exercises and gymnastic movements actively require you to load your joints in extreme ranges of motion. Needless to say these exercises are also considerably higher up the risk curve. Fine it that is your goal. But for most of us who simply want to get fit and stay in shape… a diet of basic exercises, performed progressively is all you need.
Equipment
In some instances equipment can be used to make exercises feel easier on your joints and the push up is a perfect example. Many people feel pain in their wrists when supporting their bodyweight in a flexed position. A simple, low cost item like push up handles allows the same person to keep their wrists in a neutral alignment and perform the same set of push ups pain free. Suspension trainers can be really useful for this too!
Last but not least avoid the common pitfall of too much, too often. Your body doesn’t need daily beat downs to stay strong and healthy. Seek the minimum effective dose of exercise not the maximum tolerable dose. Long term your joints will certainly thank you for it.