We train to build stronger, more resilient bodies. The ultimate goal is a body that is powerful, capable, better prepared to handle stress, and less prone to injury. But even when you do everything right, there will still be times when something doesn’t feel quite right. A tweak, a strain, or some other inconvenience that forces you to adjust.
And while no one wants to hear it, occasional setbacks are an unfortunate truth if you train long enough and hard enough. It’s not a matter of if, but when. The real question is what you do when it happens.
Too many people treat these situations as all-or-nothing. Something starts to hurt, and they either push through and make it worse, or they shut everything down and do nothing at all. Both approaches lead to the same place.
Lost time.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
Do Something
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when dealing with an injury is doing nothing at all. If one area is injured, that doesn’t mean your entire body is out of commission. For example, if your upper body is banged up, train your legs. If your knee is bothering you, focus on your upper body. If heavy lifting isn’t an option, work on conditioning, hand-eye coordination, mobility, or smaller muscle groups that are often overlooked.
The problem with doing nothing is that it quickly becomes a habit. The longer you sit still, the harder it is to get moving again. What starts as a short break can easily turn into lost weeks or months. The habits that helped build who you are begin to erode and are replaced by sedentary inaction.
I strongly believe that there is almost always something you can do.
Turn a Negative Into a Positive
Injuries don’t have to be wasted time. In many cases, they’re an opportunity. You can bring up weak points and spend more time on areas that are often neglected. Examples could include core training, grip strength, lower body development, or neck work. You’re essentially trying to (safely) train areas that are often pushed aside when everything feels good. When something is taken away, something else can be targeted.
I learned that lesson firsthand back in 2016 when I tore one of my calves in a freak accident. I was in a walking boot for a while, but that didn’t mean I stopped training. The very next day, I was on a stationary bike with the boot on. Within a couple days, I was also hobbling around the gym coaching again. It should be noted that my return to action was against doctor’s orders, but he was also shocked at how quickly I recovered.
I couldn’t train everything, but I trained what I could. Upper body, core, neck, grip – anything that didn’t aggravate the injury was fair game.
I also didn’t spend time talking about the injury or looking for sympathy. I kept moving and kept working. A few months later, I was back running with a fighter who had flown over to train here for the first time. Her name is Katie Taylor. She’s since gone on to become an undisputed world champion.
Now, I’m not suggesting that my approach is something everyone should follow. I was probably more stubborn than I should have been but that mindset has always stuck with me. I do whatever I can to keep moving.
You may not be training exactly how you want, but that doesn’t mean you can’t improve. In some cases, you may even come back better than before.
Stay Consistent (Even If It Looks Different)
Consistency still matters, even if it looks different. It doesn’t mean doing the same thing every day, but it does mean continuing to show up. Your training may change when you’re dealing with an injury, and that’s fine. The goal is to stay active and keep moving forward however you can.
I do my best not to lose ground. That might not be entirely possible in all areas, but the desire to continue moving is unquestionably useful (for me) both physically and mentally. I’m a firm believer in being intelligently stubborn. Not stubborn in the sense that you make the injury worse, but stubborn to the idea that you must be sidelined with no way to continue training.
And naturally, there’s a difference between training hard and training recklessly. If something doesn’t feel right, pay attention. The old “no pain, no gain” mentality does not apply to structural pain. If your shoulder is bothering you, don’t force it. Work around it. Adjust your training and keep going.
I’d much rather modify training on my own terms than be forced to stop because I ignored the warning signs.
If You Do Get Hurt
Even when you do everything right, injuries can still happen. When they do, patience matters. One of my biggest mistakes as a young athlete was rushing back to competition too soon. My thirst to compete led to one injury piling on top of another. That’s a cycle you want to avoid.
Take the time you need to heal and err on the side of caution while being intelligently stubborn where it is safe to do so. Don’t worry about the progress you might lose. Strength that has already been built comes back much faster than it took to initially acquire.
At the same time, use the opportunity to focus on areas that are often overlooked. Bring up a weakness, improve your conditioning, or develop strength in places that don’t usually get the same attention.
There are obvious physical benefits to such an approach, but mental benefits as well. Seeing progress in another area gives you something positive to focus on. Instead of dwelling on the injury, you stay engaged in the process. That shift in focus can make the time pass much faster while you’re waiting to heal.
Final Thoughts
After a rocky start as a young athlete, I’ve been fortunate to minimize injuries throughout much of my adulthood. But as someone who enjoys hard work, I’m certainly not immune to setbacks. Pains, tweaks, and minor issues come and go. They’re part of training. The difference is how you respond when faced with adversity.
I’m not here to provide medical advice, but I can share what’s worked for me over many years of consistent training. Regardless of the setback, you can almost always do something.
Shift your focus, stay active, and keep working.
Because in the long run, the goal isn’t just to train hard. It’s to keep training without losing ground.
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
Add comment