How to Comeback from a Devastating Injury w/ Lindy Barber – EPISODE 151

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“So, how was your first fight experience?” 

The answer was already clear to me and everyone else in the venue. Lindy couldn’t help but broadcast the vibe with bright light and a wide-smile.

“Oh, Awesome. I loved it! When can I do it again?”

This came as no surprise. Lindy Barber has been a competitive athlete for the majority of her young life. When her time in team sports came to a close – as it does for most folks when they hit their 20’s – she moved on seamlessly to competitive fitness.

But even with all that rich experience she was still nervous before that Rush Club event. I don’t think she had ever been in a real fight before. Now, there are all sorts of fights. We might immediately think about MMA pay-per-view events or bar brawls, but that’s only the most blunt, violent and obvious forms of fighting.

In my view a fight is just a happening where you are forced into confrontation. It is you versus something or someone for all to see, and there is no backing down. The urgency of that moment triggers a powerful, ancient stress response that we label “fight or flight.”

We’ve all felt it. At some point you have been confronted, struck, cornered or bullied, right? You felt that trigger go, the hormone rush and tensing of the muscles. The clear vision and hyper-focused mind.

Consider it a Super-Mario style power-up designed as an all-or-nothing effort to keep you alive. A gift. A weapon.

Out in the world, or in a typical Crossfit WOD or competition, you have the option for flight. You can always bail if you want. Even if that decision cements your fait and loses you altitude, at least you can run and survive the day. But that’s not an option in the fight, is it?

As soon as Lindy stepped on the Celebrity Theatre stage there was no turning around. There would only be fight now. She was going to win or lose in front of a thousand people. Her trigger fired. The experience kicked in. The rush of the fight did its thing. The smile went bright when they wrapped that title lifting-belt around her waist.

When you confront your fears and limitations you are in a fight, make no mistake about it. If you do not come to win, you will lose. The change can never happen. Your best self will never be known. So don’t back away. Step forward, chest out. Let your body do its thing. Trust that you WILL rise to the challenge.

You’ll be smiling soon enough.

Once upon a time @lindybarber was told that she should become an endurance runner after she BROKE HER BACK!!! Now, she’s part of the @bostoniron doing @barbellshruggedpodcast and the #middleweight RUSH CLUB #champion Her competitor @meldoss00 is a force of nature. They are incredible representatives of a fit life. #likeagirl #fitchick #fitness #example #beautyinstrength #rolemodel @unbrokendesigns #rushclub002 #rushclubnation #rushready #rushclubstrong A photo posted by RushClubNation (@rushclubnation) on Nov 11, 2014 at 11:33am PST

Out in the world, or in a typical Crossfit WOD or competition, you have the option for flight. You can always bail if you want. Even if that decision cements your fait and loses you altitude, at least you can run and survive the day. But that’s not an option in the fight, is it?

As soon as Lindy stepped on the Celebrity Theatre stage there was no turning around. There would only be fight now. She was going to win or lose in front of a thousand people. Her trigger fired. The experience kicked in. The rush of the fight did its thing. The smile went wide when they wrapped that title lifting-belt around her waste.

A fight has the power to elevate you. On the other side you discover what you’re really capable of, your true potential and power. On fight night Lindy took her fitness skills to a brand new level. From now on every training session and every competition will carry more intent. Her confidence will be heightened. She’ll always have a better shot at being great from here on out.

I mentioned how there all all sorts of fights, right? It’s not always a brawl. And it must be said, it’s not always another person you’re fighting. Sometimes you’re fighting yourself. Sometimes you have to fight back against a random and chaotic event, like an injury. That happens to be a kind of fight that Lindy Barber knows very well. To know that she overcame that event to enter her stage fight is extraordinary.

A few years ago Lindy was in the middle of a routine set of back squats. In the bottom of the third rep she felt the “SNAP!” in her lumber spine, which led to immediate collapse and pain. Later on X-Ray and MRI would reveal a couple of truths. First, her injury was much more severe than she first thought. One of her lumber vertebrae has actually split into three parts, which was a catastrophic injury in and of itself. But next came the real surprise.

There as never any symptom or sign before, but Lindy was now diagnosed with spina bifida, scoliosis and and spondylolisthesis post injury. In that moment her dreams of peak fitness were reduced to predictable warnings. “You’re never going to squat again. If I were you, I would hang it up.”

This is a real big fight or flight moment. You could take these warnings and bail. You could run and yield to the fear… Or, you can fight back.

You don’t have to accept anyone else’s prescribed fait for your life, that’s bullshit, friend. This is your life, it’s your body, it’s your moment to rise and shine bright, baby. You can fight back and be what you want to be. You just need to take your time at first.

As Lindy will tell you, there’s no rushing the recovery phase. Start moving as early as you can. Going for a walk or simply bending a wounded limb is quite enough.

Once you’re feeling better and able, start introducing light training stresses back to the body. Start by moving empty barbells with perfect form. Once that feels more like a warm-up than a workout slowly dial up the volume and load, always mindful that the premium is now on quality movement, not ego. The performance will come.

If you take your time you can come back. You can live to fight another day. Or in the case of Lindy, you might even become a champion.

Lindy, it was a pleasure chatting with you. I hope you will keep up your fight.

Cheers,

Chris

For more

• Make sure to follow Lindy on Instagram. You can also support her by checking her out on Facebook.
• For more information on Rush Club, go check out there website HERE.