I plan on doing a LIVE QnA for my members inside Dad STRONG and Gladiator STRONG at least 1 x Month. 

Dad STRONG - 7 Days FREE HERE 

Gladiator STRONG - 7 Days FREE HERE 

In this episode / short Video I discuss how men and athletes (truly, anyone and everyone) can work around and rebuild after an injury or a muscle strain / tweak. 

I wanted to cover three things every man training hard needs to think about: how to handle injuries, what to be reading right now, and the mindset that ties it all together.

Injuries: The Farmer Doesn't Sit on the Couch - Lesson from Donnie Thompson aka SuperD

I tweaked my low back recently. Nothing major, but enough to make me think. I had done heavy Trap Bar Deadlifts after driving to Vermont 2 x in 5 days (6 hours each way) and sleeping on a prison mattress / cot.

My back felt like sh-t on that prison cot but that is life with Joe DeSena in Vermont.

Donnie Thompson told me a story LONG ago that really resonated with me. He asked: what does the farmer do when he hurts his back?

Does he go sit on the couch for six months and collect unemployment?

No. He gets back in the tractor. He works the farm. If there's a big stone in front of that tractor, he gets out, and he lifts it and moves it. He doesn't wait to get strong again before he goes back to work. He gets strong again BECAUSE he goes back to work.

That's how I'm treating this back tweak. I'm not shutting it down. I'm not babying it on the couch. I'm working around it, training around it, and rebuilding it through smart, consistent work. Movement is the medicine. Avoidance just makes you weaker and more afraid of your own body.

Here's a list of what helps rebuild the back:

Reverse Hypers

Sleds

Hip Circle Band Walks in ALL Directions

Suitcase Carries with Kettlebell

1 Arm KB Rack Walk

Hanging Leg Raises

Side Planks

If you're dealing with a nagging injury right now, ask yourself: am I being the farmer, or am I collecting unemployment?

Recommended Reading

Three books I'm pointing every man toward right now:

The Complete Keys to Progress by John McCallum - Old School iron game wisdom. No fads, no gimmicks. Just the fundamentals laid out by a guy who understood what actually builds strength.

I often read excerpts of this book to my athletes and also for myself, as a reminder of What it Takes to get STRONG.

The Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin - I love Jocko's books on Leadership and Life. Leadership, training, fatherhood, business - it's all about finding the line between extremes and not getting stuck on either side. I am a more level headed leader, father, husband, Coach and business owner as I learn more from Jocko.

Lineman Special Strengths - Brutal, practical strength work built for guys who need to be strong AND durable. Exactly the kind of training Dad STRONG and Gladiator STRONG is built around.

I love what Olin Kreutz is doing at his "Compound" - a private gym for Lineman and combat athletes. I believe EVERY Football lineman should learn wrestling and Muay Thai and follow this style of training.

And yeah, I'm going to mention my own book too - Iron Journeys II. If you want the mindset and the story behind 35+ years of LIVING this, that's where it's at.

Mindset / Grit: Comfort is the Enemy

Here's the thread that runs through all of this. Injuries, reading, training - none of it matters without a tough mindset behind it. You need GRIT (Another GREAT book!).

Comfortable men sit on the couch when things get hard. Tough men get back in the tractor and fight back. Strength is EARNED. Success is EARNED.

Comfortable men wait for motivation. Tough men train regardless because they have Dicipline.

Comfortable men look for the easy book and likely don't read at all.

Weak minds are closed minds.

Weak men seek the easy program, the easy way around the work - we need Men who are Strong physically and mentally. Men who are Strong will inspire and lead their kids, the next generation.

Tough men go looking for the truth, even when it's uncomfortable, even when it means doing more, not less. All progress starts with the truth.

You don't get strong by avoiding hard things. You get strong by walking into them, on purpose, over and over again. Face the challenges and you will WIN more in LIFE, not just in the gym.

Live the Code 365,

Zach Even - Esh

7 Days FREE Dad STRONG HERE