The following video is an excerpt from a podcast I did for the SuperStrengthShow early this year. This podcast has really resonated with a lot of listeners so a teaser video was put together with an excerpt of an answer to one of my questions. While this was an off the cuff discussion for and not done with any preparation; I articulates my views and how I live my life to achieve success in all avenues. My approach to these three things is how I took myself (and much of my family) from utter poverty. From a family of 6 living on $5,000 a year and often homeless and living in the woods growing up to successful business executive & world class athlete. While growing and building a family and a future for that family.

These are three things that you can put to use in some part of your life TODAY that will yield results if executed properly.

You can listen to the full Podcast on the Super Strength Show.

This post isn’t just about the rehab process. It also gives you a view into the mindset that it takes to never give up and not only overcome a major setup back. And to do so coming back stronger and more motivated than before.

In October of 2010 I tore BOTH the Sternal and Clavicular head of my left pec off their attachment to the humerus. This required surgery and installation of 3 titanium studs followed by rehab. Since that time I have continued to receive multiple emails, Facebook messages, and YouTube questions due to my rapid recovery prompting me to put this piece together. The typical recovery takes 12 months before getting a full release to train heavy, along with the caveat that you will never be 100% again. In the process I’m sharing with you here I had regained mobility within a matter of weeks and had progressed enough that I was training to compete at a powerlifting meet at 6 months. At 9 months I was in competition setting not only a personal record for a total but also landing a Top10 All-Time Powerlifting total. Given the standard rehab process and the experiences of other lifters this was a significant achievement.

The primary content of this article is the video series itself. It is important to note that there is significant risk of re-injury if you pursue these aggressive methods without the proper knowledge or supervision. If you choose to take that risk you can significantly reduce your overall recovery time, yield greater long term recovery, and develop a cascade of other injury due to overcompensation patterns.

With my current knowledge and resources I would take a little bit different approach in regards to the specific details of my recovery. However the overall process would still center on the same core concepts:

Mobility and Range of Motion

• Begin mobilizing the area and work on regaining your range of motion as soon as possible. But stay inside the pain threshold and listen to your body. Every day try to take it a little further. Find a great therapist or other practitioner that can assist you with mobility drills.

Work the Movement Patterns

• Begin utilizing and working the muscle through the movement patterns it is used in. Find a great therapist or other practitioner that can assist you with proper movement patterns.

Recovery Methods

• I spoke extensively about the use of Super Cissus in this video series.
• Also incorporate other recover methods such as foam rolling, trigger point, active release, deep tissue, graston, or stecco fascial to name a few. (I used nearly all of them and then some)

Stay Active

• Train what you can, you will be surprised how even training one side of the body will help you retain your strength and power overall.
• Don’t go INTO pain but play on the edges and continually move that boundary.

Other key points include setting aside the time and potentially money to invest in this being a primary focus. You need to be working on recovery every single day and multiple times a day. You will be pushing the limits of potentially re-injuring the area so you MUST connect with and listen to your body.

Due to the extensive number of video’s I will only embed a few of them. The rest will be linked.

The original injury was done by just being stupid and playing around. After a 2 hour bench press workout I decided I would attempt and iron cross… after never having done one before.

Week 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9bOlcROYx8

Week 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r_jdiAG1ho

Week 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEu4YRU2_8s

Week 5&6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrRrkg7ZklI

Week 20 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl3uEoKfyOk

Week 26 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQN986InL4Y

Week 26 Bench pressing with Slingshot http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBw1bfG4mco

Here are some excerpts of how I trained just one side of body or didn’t let my arm being in a sling hold me back. Mind you these methods are bordering on the side of ‘stupid’ in on some occasions… but it does dive home the point of don’t let anything stand in your way. I was squatting and doing 1-arm deadlifts just days/weeks after surgery

500×6 No arm squat

One arm deadlifts in a sling

Tire flips only weeks out

And finally my meet at 9 months post surgery. That 1008lb squat took a significant toll on my pec otherwise I believe I would have benched in the low to mid 700’s at this meet.

Don’t every give in and thing your done. Giving up just means your taking the easy path out. Use your obstacle to overcome as motivation to dig even deeper.

I spent some time sharing more about my recent world record squat, perspective on masculinity in today’s society and my life story with Master Chim.

Check out the podcast here and if you enjoy the content on their site then take a minute to like them on Facebook!

For a long time I’ve been known for going over the top on whatever I get engaged in, both good and bad. It’s part of life philosophy that has developed into just doing things in an Epic fashion.

A friend of mine once told me “that a person isn’t deemed successful based on their accomplishments, but on how far they had to come to reach those accomplishments”. I have seen a lot of success in my life with most everything I have touched.