From the Brickyard | Subject: Stay in the game and make gains…for life!
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If you’ve ever been sidelined by an injury, you know the pain isn’t just physical—it’s mental, too. Watching your hard-earned gains fade while you’re stuck on the bench? That’s brutal.
So let’s be real. Injuries suck. They derail progress, kill momentum, and turn passion into frustration. That’s why your first goal as a lifter isn’t just to make gains—it’s to stay in the game.
Now, will training always carry some risk? Yes. But the goal isn’t zero risk—it’s minimal risk. We’re trying to push our limits, not get wrecked by them.
Here’s how to train smart, train long, and avoid the injury trap.
First, What Is an Injury, Really?
An injury is simply damage caused by stress your body wasn’t ready for. Could be sudden—like a muscle tear from too much force. Or it could build up over time—like nagging tendinitis from doing too much without proper recovery.
Either way, the damage is real. And the more we can train intelligently, the less likely we are to end up broken.
Here’s your game plan:
1. Strive for Optimal Form
Not perfect. Optimal. There’s no such thing as flawless technique—but there is a right way to move that puts tension where you want it and keeps vulnerable joints safe.
And listen closely: Injuries often happen when your guard’s down, not during the heavy lift, but when you’re re-racking the weight or picking up a plate.
Don’t just lift with good form—live in good form.
2. Don’t Do Too Much Too Soon
Progress takes time. Trying to jump from A to Z might work once…until it doesn’t. That’s how chronic overuse injuries sneak in. Think stress fractures, tendinopathies, joint flare-ups.
Instead, stack small wins. Go from A to B. Then C. Then D. Boring? Maybe. But effective? Always.
3. Know When to Back Off
Not every session needs to be a PR. Bad sleep, stress, poor nutrition—these things tank recovery and increase injury risk.
Don’t ignore the signals. If your body’s screaming “not today,” it’s smarter to scale back than to power through and pay the price.
A light day today beats three weeks off tomorrow.
4. Don’t Force What Doesn’t Feel Right
We’re all built different. Long limbs, short torsos, past injuries—these things matter. Just because a movement works for someone else doesn’t mean it’s right for you.
Barbell back squats don’t feel right to you? Do dumbbell bench split squats, or try the leg press. Bench pressing bothers your shoulder? Try dumbbells or cables.
You’re here to build muscle—not prove something to your gym bros.
5. Train for the Long Haul
You can go all-out for a few months and see some gains—or you can play the long game and make gains for decades.
This is a lifetime pursuit. We want to be doing this when we’re 60, 70, even 80. So train like someone who plans to be around that long.
And yes, progress requires pushing yourself. But it also means knowing when to push—and when to pull back. That’s the difference between reckless and relentless.
Brickwall’s First Rule: Don’t Get Hurt
Push hard. Train smart. Think big picture.
If you can stay injury-free, you’ll outlast, outlift, and outperform just about everyone around you. Most guys flame out because they don’t respect this rule.
So respect the process. Build slow. And build forever.
Brick by brick.
-Brickwall
Sources
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Safe Exercise. OrthoInfo. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/staying-healthy/safe-exercise
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd Edition. (2018). PDF Link