Setback or Opportunity? You Choose.

If you’ve been lifting weights or training for any sport over time, chances are you’ve experienced at least a minor injury. It’s almost inevitable when you're consistently pushing yourself to improve. At some point, you'll move just a little wrong, push a little too hard, and boom—strain, sprain, or something in between.

When that happens, it’s easy to feel like all your hard work has just gone out the window. Like you’re starting over—or worse, that you're even further behind than when you began. I’ve been there. I get it. But here’s the truth: you're not back at square one. You can still make progress. You can still move forward. It all comes down to your mindset.

I’ve had my fair share of setbacks in training, but one that stands out was a pinched nerve in my lower back. For months, I couldn’t even stand up straight, let alone walk normally. At the time, I had been consistently training and making serious progress—especially with my squats. I was closing in on a goal I had set, and then just like that, it seemed out of reach.

I had a choice to make. I could focus on what I couldn’t do, or I could put my energy into what I still could. So, I got to work. I identified a handful of movements I could still perform without aggravating the injury and built a training plan around them. It wasn’t glamorous, and it definitely wasn’t easy, but I stuck with it.

Week after week, month after month, I trained with what I had. It was tough to quiet the voice in my head saying, “You’re not squatting, so you're not making progress.” But I kept showing up. Slowly, my body started to heal.

Eventually, I was able to squat again. First with no weight. Then with an empty barbell. Gradually, I began loading more weight. And finally, after months of focused work and patience, I hit my original squat goal. And you know what? My squat felt better than it ever had. I truly believe that the accessory movements I focused on during my recovery actually improved my overall strength and mechanics.

So the next time you’re facing what feels like a setback, I challenge you to flip the script. See it as an opportunity—a chance to build mental toughness, to train smarter, and to strengthen areas you may have been overlooking.

Because setbacks? They’re just set-ups for something even better.

Look for the good, and you’ll find it. Look for the bad, and you'll find that too. Either way, you’ll see exactly what you’re focused on—so you might as well look for what you want.

Train hard. Train smart. And when life throws a challenge your way, rise to meet it. Let’s get after it.