Before you check out the #SquatEveryDay Pre-Competition Changes, I want to remind you all that I have two more “Mash Mafia Workshops & Train” this year. November 7th I will be in Eagan, MN at Undisputed Strength and Conditioning, and then November 14th at the Mash Compound in Clemmons, NC. Find out more by clicking on the link below:
>>>>Mash Mafia Workshops and Train<<<<
Also come check out the Mash Mafia “Come Lift with the Team” Last Chance Qualifying Olympic Weightlifting Meet this Saturday October 24th on the Farm. For more information, click on the link below:
>>>>Mash Mafia Last Chance Qualifier<<<<
This is a post that I made about one year ago. Rebecca Gerdon talks about overcoming her broken wrist. Since then, she has gone on to set all-time PRs in the Snatch, Clean & Jerk, and Total, so this article is worth reading for sure. An injury is just part of the path. It is not the end!
Enjoy!
Rebecca started her weightlifting career with me at Mash Mafia Weightlifting. Anyone that knows us realizes that she is like a daughter to me. One of the biggest perks of coaching at MuscleDriver USA has been teaming back up with Rebecca. I am so thankful that I am with her now as she battles back from breaking her wrist. Her friend Zach has been instrumental with her recovery. Zach is a muscular imbalance specialist, and with his help we will keep Rebecca strong and bullet proof for many years to come.
After watching the great work that Zach has done with several of our athletes at MDUSA, Rebecca and I are going to partner with him on the best online program of all-time. I will release more and more as we get closer, but get ready to take your training to a whole new level. Below is Rebecca’s article:
Since undergoing surgery a few months ago after discovering that I had a broken wrist, my training has been very different. Up until the past few weeks I had been unable to snatch and clean & jerk – the two lifts that make up the whole sport of weightlifting.
I have been staying very busy, however, and have learned a lot from my time spent recovering that I think could help a lot of athletes who may go through something similar. Unfortunately, athletes get injured all the time. The key is to have a positive mindset during this time and to do what you can to recover as fast as possible so that you can come back even stronger. Here are some of the things, I have learned:
1.
An injury can be a perfect opportunity to put more emphasis on strength work. Two days after my surgery, I asked my coach Travis Mash for a squat program that I could do until my wrist was healthy enough to return to the olympic lifts. Around this time, I also started working with my good friend Zach Greenwald on a structural balance program to pinpoint and address my weaknesses. They both chose exercises that I could do without the use of my wrist at first and gradually added in more upper body work as my wrist would tolerate.
With Travis and Zach’s help, I’ve improved my overall strength tremendously. I’m squatting a lot more, pressing more, deadlifting more, carrying more, doing more pull-ups and dips – literally every movement has gotten stronger.
I also feel so much better. I used to have knee pain that would come and go but I can’t remember the last time I noticed any discomfort in my knees. I also used to have some low back pain and shoulder pain that has improved greatly with the corrective exercise that Zach is programming.
2.
Being injured has forced me to adopt a better mental outlook on training and being an athlete. Talking with my teammates Travis Cooper and Jared Fleming has made me understand that being an athlete means you have to think long term. Taking some time off for an injury will only be a small piece of my whole time spent in the sport.
Both Travis and Jared have been competing in weightlifting since they were kids. Both have had their share of injuries in the past, but they are still two of the best lifters in the country.
No longer will I dwell on any “bad” day in training. There are better days and worse days but as long as my numbers are trending upwards, I’m making progress.
3.
Set goals immediately. If you can’t put all your energy into your sport, you need to put that energy somewhere it will be constructive. I set new goals to improve my strength and to put in more technique work. I also signed up for my first powerlifting meet.
Occasionally, I would struggle with a positive mindset as I watched my teammates snatching and cleaning heavy while I had to stick to the dumbbell area, but having my own goals kept me focused. I had no time to be sad that I couldn’t do the normal workouts.
4.
I never used to warm-up my wrists before lifting but now I do warm-up exercises for them before I do any snatches or clean & jerks. A few exercises that have been extremely helpful for me in regaining full wrist flexibility are fat-grip dumbbell carries or presses, bear crawls, and wall walks. For me, there is nothing like pushing through my hands in a crawling movement for warming up the wrists.
Unfortunately, injuries are extremely common for athletes but it doesn’t have to mean stagnation and lost progress. The keys are to focus on what you can control, set goals, have a positive mindset, and do find appropriate rehab exercises to get you back in the game stronger than ever!
