Working with power lifters

Recently we have been lucky enough to work with some elite lifters from PTC Sydney.  In that time we have learned a lot in a short time about the very specific needs of their athletes and how to work with their trainers to get the best results.

Working with knowledgeable and experienced trainers changes a lot about what we normally do as a lot of the simple stuff we recommend are already being done.  Most of our treatments in our clinic gear towards overall health and function but the rules change when the goal is very specific sports performance.

The squat, deadlift and bench press are common movements that we have always utilised in the rehab of our clients but zeroing in on getting the most out of these movements while at the same time managing the injuries and pains that come with pushing your body to the limit offer a different set of challenges.  Often we need to help our clients work with some degree of pain and depending on competition make decisions on what pain is ok vs the goals of the athlete.  Once competition is over we can make long terms plans to get the body right and then build towards the next one.

Some of the things we have been working on with a few of our clients lately include: 

• Grip strength and forearm pain with deadlifting
• Biceps brachialis pain with bench pressing
• Hyperextending the lower-back with deadlifting
• Lack of ankle range limiting the squatting
• Shoulder pain with back squatting

Some of the above examples we see across our whole gym going client base but there are some that you only really see when someone is bench pressing over 200kg, squatting and dead-lifting over 350kg!  Definitely another level.