Gifts of Injury: How You Can Go from Broken to Bulletproof

Have you ever dealt with an injury that completely knocked you off your game? That made you question who you are and what you're capable of?

If so, I feel you. I've been there.

But here's the thing—what if those injuries, as brutal as they are, are actually the best things to ever happen to you?

Sound far-fetched?

Well, stay with me because I'm about to drop some truth bombs that just might change the way you think about getting hurt...

My Journey Through Injury

So, a little about me: My name is Shane, and I'm a corrective exercise specialist, strength coach, flexibility coach, and former chronic pain sufferer. But the key word in that sentence is former.

Since overcoming my various pains and injuries, I've helped a ton of people, from weekend warriors to celebrities to Olympic athletes, bounce back from injuries and do things they never thought possible.

But I'm not just some guru spouting off theories. I've lived this stuff. A while back, I got hit with FAI—that's femoral acetabular impingement for those who don't speak doctor.

Basically, my hip was a mess. The docs were telling me I needed to go under the knife, that my days of heavy squats, running, and playing sports were over.

But I was like, "Nah, not happening."

I made a decision right then and there to heal myself, to find a way to not just recover but to come back stronger. And let me tell you, it was a journey...

Along the way, I uncovered some incredible gifts that injury can bring. And I want to share those with you today, because I think they just might change your life like they did mine.

Gift #1: The Gift of Awareness

Alright, let's dive in. The first big gift that injury gives you is this: awareness. And I'm not talking about some woo-woo, third eye stuff. I'm talking about real, increased physical body-awareness.

What most people (who haven't had as many injuries as I've had) don't realize is...pain heightens awareness. And that's good!

For example, before I fractured my left big toe, I NEVER paid any attention to my foot pressure while running, lifting, or playing sports. But, foot pressure matters...a lot!

When you lift weights, do plyometrics or any other athletic activity, your foot is your connection with the ground. And anything that happens upstream of the foot depends on how smart, strong, and stable that foot is!

So, after fracturing my big toe, I started becoming hyper-aware of my feet...because I had to! The pain "forced me" to! This was a blessing in disguise that made me a much better, more attuned athlete.

Gift #2: The Benefits of Training Smarter

Injury forces you to train smarter. Look, I get it. When you're in the gym, when you're in your zone, it's easy to just keep pounding away, to push through the pain.

But when you're hurt, you shouldn't try to do that. You have to get creative. You have to find new ways to challenge your body, to keep making progress. And that's a gift. Because it opens up a whole new world of possibilities.

For example, when I was battling my FAI/hip impingement, I couldn't do any of the typical "big lifts" like snatching, cleaning, squatting, deadlifting, or practically anything else in the gym.

The blessing was: I learned how to train around my hip impingement and still get stronger–without irritating my hip.

You will become a much smarter athlete when you get hurt. Because you have to!

Ultimately, you will be a healthier life-long athlete precisely because you got injured, learned from your mistakes, and came back with better training.

Other people who haven't suffered injuries might make it a long time before they first get hurt, but when they do, they will get completely knocked out of the game...sometimes for life!

For example, how many people do you know who say things like:

"Oh yeah, I used to lift...but I got this bad back...or this bum knee."

Often, these people didn't get the GIFT of early injury. So they don't learn the lessons, and their first injuries are also their last. Because they give up after that.

But not you. You've had a laundry list of injuries. So, be thankful! You're gonna' be a wiser lifter or exerciser because of it!

Gift #3: Gratitude and Perspective

I've been talking a lot about injuries bringing gifts like training smarter, but it's not just about the physical stuff.

Injury also has a way of putting things in perspective mentally. And that's the next gift—gratitude. When you're laid up, when you can't do the things you love, you start to realize just how much you took for granted. And then you start to appreciate it more!

For me, I never even thought much about my physical body until my world collapsed in 2011 when I received my FAI diagnosis. Before that, I just used my body however I wanted.

But since getting multiple injuries, battling back, and overcoming all those injuries and asymmetries, my gratitude for this ol' body is way, way higher.

So, be thankful! These injuries are giving you positive perspectives and appreciation.

Gift #4: Developing Mental Toughness

Gratitude is cool and all...but the gifts don't stop there.

Injury also forges mental toughness. And let's be real—this is a big one. Because the road to recovery? It's not a smooth one.

It's long, it's rocky, and it's filled with potholes the size of the Grand Canyon. To hike this canyon, ya' better be tough! Injuries make this inevitable...

So, suck it up, buttercup! If David Goggins can run ultra-marathons on broken legs, you can use your hip/back/knee pain to build a stronger, more resilient you.

Gift #5: The Ability to Help Others

This is the final gift, and the one that I think might be the most important of all.

Injury gives you the ability to help others.

There is a saying which is: "You cannot give that which you do not have."

And if you haven't been injured a ton (like this guy), then you flat out do not have this wisdom of experience.

So, if you're dealing with an injury, whether it's FAI or something else entirely, be thankful! You are developing the wisdom of experience! And that will make you stronger and more capable of helping others than someone who hasn't lived it.

For example, imagine you were 100 lbs overweight, and wanted to lose the pounds...

Who would you want as a trainer? Someone who has already lost 100 lbs and could tell you how to do it? Or someone who'd read all the books about it but had always been skinny themselves?

Obviously, we want the person who's lived it! The one who has the wisdom of experience is 10x better at helping you than the guy who has just read all the books.

This relates to another area of life that I'm passionate about: meditation.

In the Buddha's teachings on meditation, the Buddha calls this "experiential wisdom," Bhāvanā-Māyā-Paññā . He says it is this DIRECT knowing that ultimately leads to liberation from suffering.

Similarly, you directly knowing how to heal from injuries will be one of the greatest gifts you ever receive.

And it will help you help others. So you can be a gift to the world.

How To Learn The Gifts of Injury and Go from Broken to Bulletproof Now

I want you to know that you're not alone. And, I want you to know that there's hope. And I want you to learn the gifts of injury faster, so you can recover quicker.

That's why we created the Hip Fix program and our Hip Fix™ 1:1 Coaching Program to help you go from broken to bulletproof much more rapidly. These programs distill my 14+ years of experience into a clear, valuable lessons you can study, implement and turn into your own experiential wisdom.

So keep going, keep healing, keep growing, and keep uncovering the gifts that are waiting for you on the other side.

If this message resonates with you, please like, subscribe, and share this article. Your support helps others find their path to recovery and reminds them that they’re not alone in their journey.

Please remember, you're just one step away from building (or rebuilding) your perfect body.