Trainer Talk: Injury Prevention

We take injury prevention seriously here at Fit Farm at Rock Springs. It's such an important part of any fitness or weight loss journey that, if not done correctly, could halt your progress. We reached out to our Certified Personal Trainer, Hunter Ritenour, who specializes in strength and conditioning combined with rehabilitative therapy, to see if we could get the scoop on how the trainers at Fit Farm handle injury prevention.

Injury prevention is HUGE in any kind of fitness-related endeavor. It’s essentially your longevity. The more you can stay ahead of any onset injuries, the more you can progress and perform, which allows you to continue to hit the goals you set for yourself. Your recovery time can be affected by a preexisting injury depending on the type of injury and severity. Swelling, inflammation, and scar tissue build-up are the body’s natural healing and protective response when faced with an injury and increase the timeline for muscle recovery. That’s why it’s imperative to be proactive in approaching your workout routine in a safe and knowledgeable manner.

At Fit Farm, we offer a variety of classes, both fitness and educational, that offer hands-on experience and incorporate injury prevention at their core. Some may be obvious, for example, foam rolling or dynamic stretching before a class. Others, like yoga, may be mistakenly overlooked. But trust us, there’s a reason it’s all on the schedule.

You’ll notice when starting your day at fit Farm your first class will begin with dynamic stretching, as well as your class after breakfast and lunch. Have you caught on to the theme? Dynamic stretching is added to the beginning of classes where you haven’t been moving for some period of time. You don’t want to go headstrong into a class when your muscles aren’t warmed up. On the other side, it’s no coincidence that Restorative Yoga or Stretch and Mobility are the final class at the end of each day. It’s important to help stretch those muscles you’ve been working hard all day and increase blood flow in those areas to promote muscle recovery and subsequently, prevent injury the next day.

The fitness and weight loss program here at Fit Farm has been designed to include phases in your workout cycle throughout the week. The program design has been carefully put together to ensure you give your body enough time to rest and recover. During our injury prevention education class, we go over how to build a schedule that’s tailored to your specific needs. This is something you don’t want to overlook in your own routine at home as well! If you don’t have phases in your exercise routine, be sure to work with your trainer who can guide you through the process.

When exercising at home, sometimes we forget or aren’t aware we need to engage in active warmups before participating in any physical activity. A way to look at active warmups is to think of warming up your body’s core temperature as you would do before driving your car in cold weather. During this process, you are actively lengthening and contracting your muscle fibers, preparing your muscles to fire on all cylinders. The trainers at Fit Farm take time to teach classes on how to prevent injuries, avoid strains, muscle overload, and fatigue that can be utilized on and beyond the farm.

For guests suffering from any pre-existing injuries or experiencing any symptoms of an onset injury, the trainers at Fit Farm make sure to connect one-on-one with them before they engage in the program. These guests are treated the same as all guests, but with a little more extra care and attention to make sure their form is correct, proper exercise modifications are provided along with integrating dynamic stretching to ensure their injury isn’t exacerbated. No matter what class you attend, all trainers will be aware of any injuries and will make sure scar tissue isn’t setting in and swelling is dissipating so you can get back on your feet quicker.

The trainers at Fit Farm recommend guests with pre-existing injuries or if they’re feeling an injury onset, to participate in dynamic stretching, foam rolling, and restorative yoga classes combined with hot-cold therapy using the sauna, hot tub, and pool on the property. Our massage therapist and yoga instructor, Linda Nunn, specializes in muscle recovery and we highly recommend combining a massage as needed during your stay. These techniques are an excellent way to keep any swelling and inflammation down and are a great way to promote muscle recovery with or without any injuries.



If you haven’t attended a fitness retreat at Fit Farm and met with one of our trainers, make sure you dedicate some time to schedule a session with a local trainer at some point. Even if it’s not long-term, this is a step you don’t want to skip. Professional trainers like the ones here at the farm will ensure you have the proper form and technique to prevent/worsen pre-existing injuries. If you're looking for a fitness or weight loss retreat that can guide you on your fitness journey, be sure to contact the Fit Farm at Rock Springs team to learn more and follow us on social media!

Hunter's passion since he was young was always athletics. Whether it was basketball, football, track and field, or combat sports, he was determined to thrive in whatever sport he played. He pursued his career in the training industry at the young age of 16, where he first became exposed to the incredible impact one could have on another individual by walking alongside them as a guide on their health and wellness journey. Over the next two years he quickly grew from an apprentice to an assistant group class instructor, and ultimately a Certified Personal Trainer where he found his calling within the industry - strength and conditioning combined with rehabilitative therapy.

Since then, Hunter has spent the better part of the last decade working with incredible mentors, physical therapy patients, orthopedic surgeons, personal training clients, celebrities, and professional athletes spanning from country music stars to top tier NBA/ NFL athletes, and so much more. Being able to positively impact individuals and communities of people through holistic health and wellness has lit a passionate fire within him and continues to fuel his drive and ambition to this day.

"I am thankful for every experience I have had the pleasure of being a part of and I look forward to walking alongside you in your own journey of personal development." - Hunter