#62 - Pain, Tweaks, and Injuries: How to Overcome Training Roadblocks

09/29/23 • 75 min

Pain and "tweaks" are an inevitable part of training. If you live an active life, both in and out of the gym, then you will eventually tweak something and experience pain. You might even (heaven forbid!) get injured, and require rehab. So learning how to deal with pain while continuing to train and get strong is a very important part of the training process.

Pain is a complex experience, as much psychological and emotional as it is physical. Through their combined nearly four decades in the gym, Dr. Santana and Coach Trent have learned how to train around tweaks and injuries, and rebuild confidence under the bar after they happen. One key is exposure without danger. Once you understand that you can still move and do something productive in the gym, even if you are experiencing pain, then you can start to find ways to train at a level that encourages healing without risking further aggravation or injury. And the accumulation of these experiences, of training just at the point of discomfort but not danger, helps you to rebuild trust in your body and train your brain that your body is capable of being strong and functional in and out of the gym.

Weights & Plates: https://weightsandplates.com

Robert Santana on Instagram: @the_robert_santana

Trent Jones: @marmalade_cream

https://www.jonesbarbellclub.com

Weights & Plates: https://weightsandplates.com

Robert Santana on Instagram: @the_robert_santana

Trent Jones: @marmalade_cream

https://www.jonesbarbellclub.com

Previous Episode

#61 - Lessons from the Old School Gym

There's something about the vibe of the old school, black iron gym. Whether it's a powerlifting dungeon straight out of the 80's, a bodybuilding gym packed full of machines and dumbbells, or a weightlifting hall with rows and rows of platforms, the single-purpose gym dedicated to training (not merely exercise) is a special place. A place where shit gets done, where hard effort and consistency are the primary currency. These gyms are hard to find, but you know them when you walk in the door. The energy is palpable.

In today's world of online coaching and affordable home gym setups, many trainees haven't experienced this sort of old school gym, and they probably should! If you're serious about your training, you owe it to yourself to train at a gym like this. Whether you're a novice struggling to squat 315 (or 200!) or a you've been at it for years and feeling burnt out, training at an old school gym -- even if it's just for a little while -- can ignite some fire and passion in your training program and set you up for success.

Mark Rippetoe and Marty Gallagher Interview (3 Parts):

Part 1: https://youtu.be/siaDQdpQPRQ?si=jBBEqMFP6drd1mKm

Part 2: https://youtu.be/TxjibbKJ8UE?si=YilgpD6MG6bxAGZG

Part 3: https://youtu.be/RIe_7ODKycQ?si=6t5M2L88a0J7DvGV

Kirk Karwoski squat instructional video (he squats 600x8 beltless at the end!):

https://youtu.be/-hd8mN765KQ?si=PktYt_b5x3Zxo3ac

Karwoski 1,000lbs double:

https://youtu.be/Oo1tU1YqPp0?si=xDLu_pO-5jfW0bQq

Weights & Plates: https://weightsandplates.com

Robert Santana on Instagram: @the_robert_santana

Trent Jones: @marmalade_cream

https://www.jonesbarbellclub.com

Next Episode

#63 - Diet Deloads: Stop the Non-Stop Dieting

When people hire Dr. Santana looking to lose a significant amount of weight, it's almost certain this isn't their first attempt at dieting. In fact, what Dr. Santana typically finds with overweight and obese weight loss clients is that they have been dieting for years. They are essentially always in weight loss mode. The problem is, they haven't lost the weight, which indicates that their compliance is spotty at best. Dr. Santana also points out that even if compliance is low and they haven't lost weight, there is a psychological toll from constantly dieting.

The solution? You need to take breaks from dieting if you want to lose weight and keep it off long term. A diet deload, if you will. Losing weight imposes stress on your body, both physiological and psychological stress, and the fatigue from that stress compounds the longer you stay in weight loss mode. In programming we take deloads to disappate fatigue when it has gotten too high and we risk overtraining, tweaks and form breakdown. The same concept works for dieting. Dr. Santana's recommendation is to limit your dieting to 12-16 weeks at a time, then take a break. During the break, raise your calories and eat at maintenance for several weeks. You'll likely gain some weight back -- at the very least from water weight due to the increased food -- but that's ok. You're disappating stress and fatigue, helping your body feel better, and improving your mental state before the next round of dieting, if you choose to continue.

Weights & Plates: https://weightsandplates.com

Robert Santana on Instagram: @the_robert_santana

Trent Jones: @marmalade_cream

https://www.jonesbarbellclub.com