How We Work Around Injuries in Training for Our Cedar Park Athletes
- Ben Lustig
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Injuries are an unfortunate reality in sports. Whether it’s a sprained ankle, shoulder irritation, or something more serious, every athlete will deal with physical setbacks at some point.
But here’s the thing—we don’t believe injuries should put everything on pause.
In fact, at Barbell Coalition here in Cedar Park, training with athletes during recovery has been some of the most productive training we’ve done.
The key? Work around the injury, not through it.
Here’s how we approach training when one of our athletes gets hurt.
We Focus on What They Can Do
The first thing we do when an athlete comes to us with an injury is simple: we shift the focus to everything that doesn’t hurt. This could mean:
Training the opposite limb (e.g., single-arm or single-leg work)
Training the core, upper body, or lower body—whichever isn’t affected
Switching from barbell to dumbbell variations to reduce strain
Modifying range of motion, tempo, or equipment to find pain-free options
Just because one area is off-limits doesn’t mean the entire athlete is off-limits. There’s always something we can train, and when done right, it helps them stay strong, confident, and ready to return better than before.
We Adjust, Don’t Abandon, the Program
We don’t throw out the whole training plan when an athlete gets hurt. We adjust it.
That might mean reducing volume, cutting out certain lifts, or adding in more mobility and rehab-based work.
The goal is to keep the athlete progressing safely without aggravating the injury or creating new ones.
And here’s a bonus: when athletes see that we’re still coaching them, still invested in their progress, and still pushing them to get better (within safe limits), it keeps their motivation and morale high.
That’s a huge part of the recovery process.
We Communicate with Parents and Professionals
Injuries can feel overwhelming—especially for younger athletes and their parents. That’s why we stay in the loop.
If the athlete is seeing a physical therapist, chiropractor, or doctor, we’re happy to coordinate with them and follow any restrictions or guidelines they’ve set.
We also make sure parents know exactly what we’re doing and why. We’re not here to play doctor—we’re here to be smart, safe, and supportive in how we move forward.
We Keep the Athlete Mentally Engaged
Injuries can take a toll mentally, not just physically. Athletes often feel like they’re falling behind or letting their team down.
Our job is to make sure they don’t disengage.
Even if they’re not at full speed, we keep them plugged in with:
Modified workouts that still challenge them
Goals they can achieve in the short term
Encouragement and perspective—this is a setback, not the end
We want them to see their time in the gym as part of the solution, not another source of frustration.
We Play the Long Game
We don’t rush athletes back to full intensity just to “prove” they’re okay. We care more about long-term performance than short-term ego.
That means prioritizing quality movement, respecting pain signals, and ramping back up gradually and intentionally.
An athlete who learns how to train smart through an injury becomes a more resilient, self-aware competitor for life.
Our rule is simple: do what doesn’t hurt, avoid what does, and use the time to build what we can.
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