You can train with an injury!

I have an injury. An odd injury, but one none the less. I have a blood vessel that struggles to heal in the middle finger of my right hand. The particular blood vessel has been a nuisance for me since I was in high school playing volleyball and it would continually break with a good hard serve. Also, I have Reynard’s which is a blood circulation disorder, so maybe that has something to do with it.

I have taken myself off certain lifts and allowing my finger to fully heal. The last time I broke the blood vessel was November 7th, 2015, while assisting at the barbell certification. Just bumped it loading plates onto a bar. Essentially, I have taken away heavy kettlebell swings, bottoms up presses, pull-ups and dead lifts, all of these put pressure on the middle joint of the finger and are not good for me right now.

I am currently on a progressive barbell program that consists of benching, military pressing, back squats and deadlifts. In place of the deadlifts, I practice good mornings. I warm up using 5x95, 5x115 and 3x125. So far for my heavy’s I have used 5x135, 5x145 and 5x155. Today, in these pictures, I was practicing 5x3x135 for a de-load week. I have also incorporated front squats and Zercher squats, which I don’t progress, just practice and I practice hand-stand pushups and kettlebell military presses when I am in kettlebell class.

If you are interested in learning more about how to train with an injury, please email me. With the tools of kettlebells, barbells and your own bodyweight, there is really no reason not to lift.