Redefining Pain: Embracing Pain as a Tool for Performance Optimization

Ryan Whited is an elite climber, personal trainer and strength & conditioning coach who owns Paragon Athletics in Flagstaff, Arizona. Together with author and coach Matt Fitzgerald he has written Pain & Performance: A revolutionary new way to use training as treatment for pain and injury. 

His approach to pain is a novel one and requires you to think about it in a much different way than most of us currently do.

Learning to use “training as treatment” and recognize the positive aspects of pain are just a few of the concepts we discuss today.

Before pain starts, build injury resilience during training! 

We also cover:

• Why pain can be a tool that is used to your advantage
• Understanding pain as a subjective experience from our history and beliefs 
• What is inaccurate about the structural model of injury
• How our expectancy of pain can influence it
• “Sweet talking” your system and using tissue without damaging it
• The problem with imaging - the difference between abnormal and problematic
• The role of fun in returning to activity after an injury 
• Why pain is neither all in your head nor all in your body  

Links & Resources from the Show:

• Learn more about Ryan and Paragon Athletics
• Follow Ryan on Instagram
• Check out Paragon Athletic’s YouTube videos
• Read Pain and Performance
• Get advice on how to stay healthy

A big thanks to DrinkLMNT for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. They are offering a free gift with your purchase at DrinkLMNT. And this does NOT have to be your first purchase. You’ll get a sample pack with every flavor so you can try them all before deciding what you like best. 

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