Abstract

Acute failure of a body tissue (i.e., injury) in the strength and conditioning field involves a multitude of variables including instructional failure; flaws in technique; overtraining; and freak, uncontrollable occurrences. Interestingly, research points to key factors that tend to result in injury occurrence in resistance training. One review of strength-training injuries in children and adolescents, for example, suggests that the most common cause of injury appears to be loss of form when lifting heavy weights. Similarly, further research has concluded that most injuries occur during the aggressive use of free weight exercises, a suggestion reiterated by detailed analysis of risk factors associated with musculoskeletal injury. It is notable that there are recurring themes in this work, including: 1. Most injuries occur because of improper lifting technique. 2. Improper lifting technique is inextricably linked to excessive load. 3. There is unanimity among authors that good coaching can minimize the risk of injuries. Although there is unanimity in suggesting that good coaching is likely to reduce the incidence of injury, there is rarely an explanation of what good coaching means. This article aims to bridge this gap. The primary aim is to demonstrate methods that the strength and conditioning professional and personal trainer can employ to enhance both the safety and effectiveness of what they do in the weight room to avoid excessive load, subsequent loss of form, and, ultimately, injury. Einleitung (abgeändert)