15 Sep From Injury to 1306: Lessons I Shared with MOPs & MOEs
Lessons I Shared with MOPs & MOEs
When you’ve been around strength sports long enough, you start to realize that pain and setbacks are part of the process. For me, that reality hit hard in 2009. I was already a decorated lifter with world records under my belt, but one misstep—literally hurdling a barricade while preparing for a police academy scholarship—changed my life. I came down wrong, hurt my back, and entered into a battle that would define the next stage of my career.
On the recent MOPs & MOEs podcast, I had the chance to share that story, talk about what I learned, and dig into the lessons from my book Gift of Injury, which I co-wrote with Dr. Stuart McGill. What started as my personal rehab journey turned into a mission to help others avoid the same mistakes I made.
From Records to Rock Bottom
By 2009, I had established myself among the best in the sport. I had totaled 2730 at 275 and 2651 at 242, lifted more than ten times my body weight across three weight classes, squatted over 1000 pounds more than 60 times, and became the first man to squat 1300 pounds. My all-time world record squat of 1030 at 220 cemented my place in powerlifting history.
But none of those numbers could protect me from the consequences of poor movement patterns, stress concentrations, and pushing through pain. When my back gave out, I went from chasing records to barely being able to train. Like many athletes, I thought I could grit my way through it. That mindset nearly cost me not just my lifting career, but my quality of life.
Finding the Right Guide
In 2013, I reached out to Dr. Stuart McGill. That decision changed everything. Instead of surgery or quick fixes, Stu gave me a framework: assess the injury honestly, rebuild from the ground up, and create a plan that not only restored my back but made me more resilient than ever.
The process was humbling. I had to learn how to move differently, manage stress, and rebuild strength in a way that respected the injury. But the payoff was massive. Not only did I come back to the platform—I hit my historic 1306-pound squat after my back injury and rehab with Dr. McGill.
That’s the real message of Gift of Injury: setbacks don’t have to be the end. They can be the beginning of something even greater if you’re willing to put in the work.
A Healthy Debate on MRI and Back Pain
One of the interesting moments on the MOPs & MOEs podcast was a discussion I had with John, their in-house rehab expert, about MRIs. At first, it seemed like a debate about whether MRIs are useful in diagnosing back pain. The truth is, it was more of a miscommunication.
MRIs can show structural changes, but they don’t always tell the full story of someone’s pain. A scar on a scan might be old and healed, yet a surgeon could still chase it with the knife—missing the real issue. That’s why assessment, movement patterns, and a full understanding of the individual matter so much more than just relying on images.
It was a productive conversation, and I look forward to revisiting it with John in a future episode. These discussions are what move the needle forward in strength and rehab: lifters, coaches, and clinicians sharing ideas and challenging assumptions.
Where I Am Today
These days, my focus is broader than just numbers on the bar. Through my coaching and consulting business, Power Rack Strength, I work with lifters, athletes, and rehab professionals to apply the lessons I learned the hard way. I still love chasing strength, but my mission now is helping others train smart, stay healthy, and avoid the pitfalls that nearly ended my career.
Gift of Injury continues to resonate with athletes and clinicians because it’s not just about my story—it’s about a roadmap for anyone struggling with back pain and wondering if they’ll ever lift again. The answer is yes, if you’re willing to commit to the process.
Final Thoughts
I’m grateful to the MOPs & MOEs team for the chance to share my journey. Pain doesn’t discriminate—it doesn’t care if you’re the strongest person in the world or a weekend warrior. What matters is how you respond.
If my story can help even one athlete avoid the mistakes I made, then the injury that once felt like my biggest setback becomes part of my biggest contribution.
Check out the full episode of the MOPs & MOEs podcast [HERE] for the complete conversation.
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