The part nobody posts
Setbacks, injuries
& showing up anyway.
Competing at this level on an adaptive body means carrying a physical load most standard-division athletes never have to think about. Here’s what that’s actually looked like.
What I’ve trained through
Five recurring setbacks.
None of these are one-offs. They’re the running cost of asking an adaptive body to meet a competitive standard, week after week.
- Stress fractureThe one that stops everything.
- Knee tendinopathyLoad management, not rest, is the answer — but it takes patience.
- Inflammation & joint flare-upsThe background noise of high-volume training on an asymmetric body.
- Blisters & pressure pointsSmall on paper. Session-ending in practice.
- Hip injuriesCompensation patterns catch up eventually.
How I manage it
Recovery is part of the program.
Sunday is a fixed rest day, every week, no exceptions. I use a Compex WOD 8 EMS device on recovery days, and lean on physio and load management to keep training consistent rather than perfect.
Consistent beats perfect. Six sessions a week for years beats eight sessions a week for a month and then nothing.
The setbacks aren’t the opposite of the result. They’re part of it. On training through injury