Let’s start by saying this: sport is awesome. We’re not here to discourage anyone from participating in sports—they’re fun, engaging, and build great communities. However, if your goal is longevity and health, there’s an important caveat to consider.

More and more people are turning to sports—or fitness-based sports—as their main form of exercise to “get in shape.” While this can work, there are some limitations and risks you should be aware of.

Let’s Talk About Injuries

Injury is an unavoidable part of sport—even for professional athletes at the top of their game. Take footballers, for example: despite their elite conditioning, injuries are incredibly common. Quick changes of direction, for instance, place enormous lateral forces on the knee joint. While the body can handle these forces to a point, repeated exposure at high intensity can eventually lead to problems.

The Rise of “Fitness Sports”

Fitness sports like CrossFit, Hyrox, Deka, and Olympic weightlifting are booming in popularity. They’re fun, competitive, and offer a fantastic sense of community. For many people, the motivation to improve performance and hit new personal bests keeps them coming back.

And yes, the argument can be made: “Doing something is better than doing nothing.” We fully agree. But if your primary intention is to live a longer, healthier life, you should consider whether fitness sports are the right tool for the job.

Sport Has Rules—Your Body Doesn’t Always Follow Them

One of the challenges with sports is that they have rules. And unfortunately, those rules don’t always align with your body’s natural structure and movement capabilities.

Take powerlifting as an example. In competitions, a bench press rep only counts if the barbell touches your chest. While that’s great for sport, it doesn’t take into account individual differences like limb length, shoulder mobility, or ribcage structure. Yet this arbitrary rule has made its way into general fitness, often leading to injuries or discomfort for people forcing their bodies into positions they can’t move into naturally.

If You Love Fitness Sports, Here’s What to Do:

To support your body and minimise the risk of injury, we recommend supplementing your fitness sport training with controlled, personalised resistance training. This will help your body adapt to the forces placed on it during events and reduce your risk of injuries that could disrupt your progress.

The Solution: Resistance Training for Longevity

Here’s the good news: resistance training, when done correctly, doesn’t have to follow these rules. The gym should be a place where your training is designed to fit your body—not the other way around.

At Precision One Coaching, we rip up the rulebook. Every client we work with is unique, and we design exercise programs based on your individual needs, movement capabilities, and goals. This approach not only builds strength and fitness but also ensures that your body can move and function well for years to come.