Why Misalignments Will Kill Long-Term Consistency in the Gym, and How to Prevent Gym Drop Off in February
Starting January 1st, gyms will flood with those looking to renew, revamp, or begin their health and fitness journeys in 2023. While health and fitness goals are always admirable, the best of intentions may not lead to the best outcomes as people unknowingly take their misalignments into the new year and into their workouts. Anyone who is unaware of their postural misalignment (most everyone) is at high risk for injuries, chronic pain, and the discouragement that comes with trying to reach fitness goals. And that discouragement is one of the main hindrances of consistency, and therefore one of the main reasons for the fall-off that happens inevitably around February every year.
The cycle of progress to injury and discouragement is one I once knew quite well. My soccer career was “ended” by a plethora of injuries both chronic and isolated severe injuries— a long list I won’t bore you with. And if soccer was my first love, CrossFit was my toxic rebound. Don’t misunderstand, I love Olympic Lifting. But I took the same body that was chronically injured and couldn’t even run without ibuprofen and hours of icing, and tried to lift heavy weights with it. Postural compensations I was completely oblivious to, were contorting my form in every single lift. Naturally, the more I progressed in weight the more I needed ice and ibuprofen again, eventually throwing my back out completely just as I was beginning to see real progress and consistently breaking personal records. My body had done everything it could and given me every warning to back off, and I hadn’t listened. I’d only rest for a week and go back to it without changing anything about my intrinsic muscular system and alignment. I was in chronic pain daily from my shoulders, mid-back, hips, neck, sciatica, and plantar fasciitis pain so bad it would keep me up at night. Doctors offered me no answers but just a few stretches that offered frustratingly minuscule, temporary relief. I couldn’t run, I couldn’t lift, or play soccer. Even walking required inserts because of extremely supinated feet. I came to Symmetry looking for a job, but stumbled onto what I hadn’t known I needed and what I was made to believe was impossible: a way to live the life I loved again and be active.
Today, I am playing soccer, running, and lifting regularly, without injuries every week (in fact none so far), shin splints, “runners knee”, plantar fasciitis, and with none of the annoying braces, inserts, and ugly orthopedic shoes I was prescribed before. Why? I do my routine before each game, workout, or run. I ensure my body is aligned before I step onto the field or into the weight room. I will admit, it’s hard for me to not take work to the gym with me. Knowing what I know now, I have predicted many a teammates’ injury before it’s happened, and it is truly hard to watch someone backsquat 200 pounds when I see their left hip elevating so much I know their spine isn’t straight underneath 200 extra pounds.
The point I am trying to make is this: whatever misalignments you have, they are causing you to compensate into every dynamic movement you do— because you are compensating just to hold against gravity. Any strengthening you do is going to strengthen your misaligned form, and eventually, as you try to progress, your compensations will either limit you or cause you injury. But no one knows what those compensations are unless they are measuring you. We measure 20 different bony landmarks to quantify your misalignments and then teach you how to exploit your own neuroplasticity and intrinsic muscles to realign your own body.
Most of our staff can say “Symmetry changed my life”. But Symmetry also gave me my life back. Don’t make my mistakes. Come find out what risks you are taking into the gym, so that you can have the best opportunity for success to reach your goals. If you don’t want your misalignments to hinder your progress this year, call to book today at 916-467-7764.
You won’t regret it. Let’s ensure your resolutions are resolved by next year. The truth (and our whole philosophy): your success is entirely up to you.
