I reckon you’re guessing why the title of this blog post resembles a football score………….with football losing too.
Well, as I write this………..I have my left ankle jacked up on a stool with some cushions, with a large bag of frozen peas on top. Yep, last night I snapped ankle ligaments…………..and I was playing football.
What has got me thinking though, is the fact that I have NEVER been injured from weight training (aside from a stupid bodypump class where I twisted quickly because a microphone wasn’t working properly). Yes, I have been sore (haven’t we all), but never have I pulled muscles or strained cartilages or ligaments from a controlled weight lifting program.
Notice I said Controlled.
I have had parents tell me that their children should not lift any weight at all, be it in a gym, a garage or at home. They say it’s too dangerous and that they might get hurt. What strikes me, is that it’s all very odd……this bias I mean.
Parents have no qualms about their little lad playing football, where there is over 1000 x greater risk of injury than in a controlled resistance program (see the stats below if you think I’m exagerating). If you can imagine that a young lad of 12 might deadlift 10-15-20kg or so straight up and down, in a very controlled manner someone would claim “thats too much for his age….he’s only 12.” Yet, no one will think twice about the same 12 year old involved in a football match with the possibility (or probability) of another 40-50kg boy putting his weight on his knee / ankle / foot (insert other bodypart here).
This is not simply ‘weight’ either………when that 40-50kg is put through a size 5 shoe, it will increase the overall pressure and therefore the overall damage.
This post is not against football, (or any sport for that matter), just a little thought provoking on my part about the risks involved of different activities. I will probably never give up my football!
In fact, check out these numbers on injury rates in different sports:
Sport Injuries (per 100 participation hours)
So there you have it. Weightlifting is safe. If anyone who wants to tell you otherwise – send them to this page.
Anyways, I’m back to change my frozen peas!