Our body is a strong tool, but our mind is even stronger. When our body gives out our body can’t continue, however as long as your mind is able to continue your body will follow.
A single injury caused by working out can easily stop you from ever working out again. This is if your mind is no longer in it. An injury doesn’t have to be destructive. It can be an opportunity for self-reflection and for mental and physical recovery. A strong mind doesn’t require you to be strong all the time. Everyone needs some downtime, when your body is unable to move forward use this time wisely to reinvigorate. Instead of thinking about it as a bad time use this time to your benefit. Use your recovery time as deload time so your body recovers fully from all of your last workouts.
Pain is weakness leaving the body. – Chesty Puller
How you reply to a setback or an injury is totally dependant on how you think about it. As seen above there are a couple of benefits that can be gained from an injury. While everyone believes injury is bad or even a disaster it doesn’t have to be. Maintain your great mindset and use your time to become better after you return from your injury. For example you might have a shoulder injury, however at the same time your knee doesn’t feel 100% either. Let your knee benefit from the rest you are taking and let it recover as well.
When you have a nagging pain in your arm from lifting weight you are forced to take rest. But this doesn’t force you to do nothing. With an arm injury it’s perfectly fine to go for an extra walk each day. After recovery slowly build up back to your usual workouts, afterwards you can push even harder than before. In these new workouts it’s find to be struggling and to feel a gentle pain. The pain if not coming from a wrong movement shows that your body is getting used to it. As long as it isn’t pain that hinders you in your daily routine and that doesn’t force you to quit your working out it can be helpfull.
Your mindset is the thing that will help you during injury and recovery. If your mind is maintaining strength your body will follow.