I started powerlifting almost four years ago.
Like any newbie, I had poor form and a big ego.
This, in concert with an old hip injury, resulted in small-scale problems that eventually led to a pulled back and a right hip that has significantly less external rotation than my left. To compensate, my entire body shifts and has weakened my squat and deadlift.
However, after three weeks of consistent chiropractic care, I saw wonderful results.
My hip rotation evened out and I felt significantly less strain on my right hip. Now, I feel better than ever and my lifts have gone up as a result. I was even able to go back to my old powerlifting program which became too much for me when I injured myself!
But don’t take my word for it!
Here to tell us about his experience with chiropractic care is James Wang. James competed in the 2016 USAPL Collegiate Nationals in Rhode Island. He has been powerlifting for three years and is well versed in modern weight training. Unfortunately, a bad hamstring pull put him out of the game. I interviewed James to gain perspective on his injury and see the influence of chiropractic care in his life.
Why This Powerlifter Chooses Chiropractic Care
Question: Did you feel results right away?
James: “I felt good after the first one, but, I needed repeated treatments to notice it directly in my training.”
Question: How did chiropractic care affect mobility?
James: “It helped open up my hips and I stopped feeling impingement.”
What does that mean?
“Impingement is like when you squat and you feel a weird tightness in your hip, so after a couple of treatments I stopped feeling that.”
Question: How did chiropractic care affect previous injuries?
James: “Ever since I pulled my hamstring six months ago it’s taken twice as longs for DOM’s to subside. After seeing Dr. Shah for a few weeks my hamstring now recovers as it did pre-injury.”
Question: How did chiropractic care affect overall powerlifting total?
James: “It didn’t necessarily directly affect my total, but, it definitely helped with my recovery and working capacity which indirectly improved my training. Also, it ironed out some imbalances I had which I expect will prevent injuries in the future.”
Question: Would you recommend this to another person?
James: “Yeah, of course! I think that anyone who regularly lifts weights and has noticed a plateau for whatever reason can find benefits from chiropractic care and break that plateau within weeks.”
So where does that leave you? Are you happy where you are or do you want to see progress? Chiropractic care is entirely holistic and non-invasive and as a result James and I safely got back to doing what we love, so what’s stopping you?
Just remember:
- You have to be consistent. Sometimes the first time can fix your immediate problem, but more often than not it takes rightly timed adjustments to make a difference.
- Know your body. Learn to listen and don’t push it unnecessarily and if anything feels wrong don’t wait to address it.
- After-care is just as important. Most SF chiropractors will recommend certain movement that improves mobility. Mobility is important to strength training because it directly affects the efficiency of your lifts; if you are not mobile you are not reaching the full potential of your body. My other secret weapon is dry needling by my SF acupuncturist.
—Interviewed by Rebeca Alvarado
To get to the root cause of pain and discomfort, schedule an initial consultation, including a comprehensive evaluation and first treatment.
