need advice to prevent injury, please

It may sound stupid, but I'm kind of proud I got my first workout injury. Braindeads aside, I am worried and baffled because I did not noticed the injury until much later. How can you prevent an injury if your body does not signal 'injury'...or was I not paying attention?

I was doing hip adductions. They were tough and there were moments when I was really struggling to finish the adduction move, kind of like when you stop in the middle of a dumbbell curl, but somehow you manage to finish the curl. I have never injured myself while curling, so I wasn't worried when I experienced the same while doing the adductions. There was no sudden or sharp pain, which is the way I get the cues from my body to stop an exercise.

I could stop pushing myself as I have been doing, but I thought gains came when you pushed yourself really hard.

Has anyone gone through a similar experience? What have you learned from it?

[QUOTE=jmborr;406470951]
I could stop pushing myself as I have been doing, but I thought gains came when you pushed yourself really hard.

Has anyone gone through a similar experience? What have you learned from it?[/QUOTE]

To avoid injury
- make sure you are flexible. Unless you have right flexibility you will get back/shoulder issues. e.g Poor hamstring flexibilty makes you bend back.
- work on core
- dont exercise when in pain
- to start off dont to movements we dont do in normal life ( eg upright rows, full situp). These should be done once have more exp with weights.
- lower back and shoulder are two areas are often injured. Loook for articles online on how to prevent them.

At your age you should not be pushing hard unless you are experienced. What stops most of us from gaining is injuries. Be patient, gaining takes time but its worth it

I definitely suck at flexibility, so now I know one think to work. Thanks for the other tips, too.

[QUOTE=jmborr;406958921]I definitely suck at flexibility, so now I know one think to work. Thanks for the other tips, too.[/QUOTE]

Some stretches i woudl do everyday are


Hip Flexor Stretch - very imp for overall postue
Quad Stretch
Adductor
Ham Stretch
Chest
Back

If you can, do pilates once a week. Its great to keep you fit and ready to lift. Most pro athletes do it as part of their program.

As the sig says "consider the source"

here's a few references on stretching
[url]http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpost.php?p=405861461&postcount=4[/url]

if you look at them, you'll see the only place they've been shown to reduce injury is for musculotendonous injuries - ie groin pull type things -sort of.

Likewise flexibility is often confused with mobility. THey're not the same.

Check out the [url=http://www.begin2dig.com/2009/10/mobility-vs-flexibility-is-there.html]critical differences here (link)[/url]. I know a coach who can't touch his toes, but he can kick someone's head off.

The best training, really, neurologically and musculskeletally for injury prevention is mobility: working with each joint to ensure it moves well and under control through full range of motion. If you can't control your mobility you have fewer options in an injury situation.

Here's a whole lot more [url=http://www.begin2dig.com/2009/06/why-i-loading-for-real-overviewreview-z.html]about how with mobility, and working up to loaded mobility in athletic positions/speeds, we train for the sprain, becoming pretty bullet proof and if and when injury does happen, bounce back a lot quicker/better (link)[/url]. for real.

The posts also discuss how to practice (as opposed to train) mobility. the cool thing is your strength practice will improve immediately from this mobility practice.

best in your practice.

mc

If you're growling, you ain't breathin'!
Don't growl, groan, cuss, etc., when you get to a sticking point.
Take some deep breaths...don't squirm around; keep your bod in a static position.
Struggle with completing the rep for a pre-determined count...the number of breaths you take, perhaps? Say, four?
Better to bow out and preserve a sound body to lift another day...
[QUOTE=jmborr;406470951]It may sound stupid, but I'm kind of proud I got my first workout injury. Braindeads aside, I am worried and baffled because I did not noticed the injury until much later. How can you prevent an injury if your body does not signal 'injury'...or was I not paying attention?

I was doing hip adductions. They were tough and there were moments when I was really struggling to finish the adduction move, kind of like when you stop in the middle of a dumbbell curl, but somehow you manage to finish the curl. I have never injured myself while curling, so I wasn't worried when I experienced the same while doing the adductions. There was no sudden or sharp pain, which is the way I get the cues from my body to stop an exercise.

I could stop pushing myself as I have been doing, but I thought gains came when you pushed yourself really hard.

Has anyone gone through a similar experience? What have you learned from it?[/QUOTE]