If you’ve ever felt like your body is betraying you — that nagging injury that won’t go away, the stubborn fat that won’t budge, the strength that seems stuck no matter how hard you push — then Jonathan’s story is going to sound familiar.

He was doing everything right.

Resting. Stretching. Taking breaks from lifting. Even taking months off from training to let his arm heal.

But nothing worked.

He had a nerve injury — ulnar nerve entrapment — that left him with numb fingers, a weak grip, and the creeping dread that this might just be how his arm worked now.

And yet, in under 8 weeks, he was back to training hard, pushing upper body movements again, and building real muscle in the areas he’d neglected for a year.

No surgery.
No magic supplements.
No all-or-nothing plans.

Just smart, strategic coaching. Let’s break down how we got there — and how you can use the same approach to break your plateau.

The Real Problem No One Talks About

Pain and plateaus don’t just mess with your body — they mess with your head.

You start second-guessing everything:

“Should I rest more?”
“Maybe I should stretch every day.”
“I guess I’m just getting older…”

So you either:

A) Go all in — pushing through pain, hoping your body catches up
B) Pull way back — stop lifting, stop moving, wait for the problem to magically go away

Both paths feel reasonable.And both usually fail.

Why?

Because the answer isn’t more or less. It’s different!

You need the right kind of movement, in the right dose, with the right progression to create healing without losing strength or function.

That’s what Jonathan was missing. And it’s what most people are missing — whether it’s an elbow, a shoulder, a lower back, or just a stubborn 20 pounds of body fat that won’t go away.

“I Tried Everything... And Nothing Worked”

Here’s what Jonathan said when we first spoke:

“I spent 7 months on my own trying to deal with my ulnar nerve injury and got absolutely nowhere. Two separate times I tried 2 months off from just about all exercise in order to let the nerve heal and both times I got absolutely nowhere.”

He was stuck in what I call the Injury Spiral:

Push too hard → Flare it up
Pull too far back → Get tighter, weaker, more frustrated
Repeat

He even asked me, half-jokingly, if he should just throw a cast on his arm and wait it out. That’s how hopeless it felt.

But here’s what I told him:

“Give me 4 weeks. I can get 70% of the symptoms to go away — while still lifting.”

Now, I know that sounds bold. And if you don’t know me, you might be skeptical.

Jonathan was too:

“If I didn't personally know two separate people that worked with him, healed their long-term injuries, and made physique and strength progress at the same time, I would've called BS.”

But what happened?

“Well sure enough, he delivered. 1 month in was exactly as he said. 2 months in and I was back to being able to not just lift, but push myself on upper body movements without the nerve being a limiting factor.”

And that wasn’t just a win for his elbow.

We used that same window to do far more than just rehab his elbow.

Jonathan got to work — and the results showed.

We shifted our focus to what he could train, and he made the most of it. He put in the reps, stayed consistent, and leaned into the process with full effort.

We built real muscle on his legs — not just maintaining strength, but actively progressing through a focused hypertrophy phase. His lower body got stronger, more stable, and more powerful than it had been in years.
He dialed in his sleep and protein intake, two foundational habits that fueled his recovery and muscle growth. These weren’t just checkbox habits — they became non-negotiables that leveled up everything else.
And most importantly, he rebuilt momentum in his training. What started as a rehab window quickly evolved into a full-body transformation — physically and mentally.

He’s not done. But for just a few months of focused, strategic work? He’s come a long way! And he’s only getting stronger from here.

When your body works well, it’s amazing what starts clicking into place.

The Approach That Actually Worked

So what did we do?

Here’s a high-level breakdown of how we tackled Jonathan’s situation — and how you can apply this same thinking if you’re dealing with pain, plateaus, or just stagnation:

1. Stop Guessing, Start Assessing

We didn’t just label it “elbow pain.”

We broke it down — when it flared, what triggered it, how it affected his grip, and where it limited his training.

That gave us a clear target — and a smarter way to train around it without losing progress.

2. Find the Envelope of Function

Forget “push through” or “shut it down.”

We found the movements he could do pain-free and trained hard within that range — gradually expanding the boundaries over time.

It’s not about doing nothing or doing everything.

It’s about doing what works — and building from there.

3. Rebuild from the Ground Up

Instead of obsessing over what he couldn’t do, we attacked what he could.

Legs. Core. Conditioning. Daily movement. Sleep. Nutrition.

These weren’t side quests — they were the foundation that drove progress forward while his arm healed.

4. Progress with Precision

No random jumps. No flared-up setbacks.

Just calculated, week-by-week progress — more weight, more reps, more intensity — always guided by symptom feedback.

Steady wins compound over time!

5. Address the Whole Picture

Pain doesn’t happen in isolation.

Poor sleep? Low protein? Sky-high stress? They all add up. We cleaned up the system — so his body could recover, rebuild, and come back stronger.

Because when you treat pain like a signal instead of a sentence? You start making real progress.

The Real Win

This is what stuck with me most from Jonathan’s message:

“My advice is to trust John. He's professional, passionate, and he knows his stuff. I can't recommend his coaching enough.”

But what makes me proud isn’t just the kind words — it’s his results.

Because Jonathan didn’t just heal.

He got back to training hard.
He saw progress in his body and performance.
And he got his confidence back.

That’s the real win!

And Jonathan — if you’re reading this — thank you. For showing up, for trusting the process, and for being a reminder of what’s possible when consistency meets the right plan.

If You’re In The Middle Of That “Nowhere” Phase…

You’ve done the YouTube rabbit holes. You’ve taken time off. You’ve pushed through pain. You’ve tried “being good.”

And you’re still not where you want to be.

Maybe it’s not your fault. Maybe it’s time for something different.

I help people like you get their bodies working again — with a blend of performance physical therapy, smart strength programming, and real accountability.

👉 Click here to learn more about coaching

Or book a free call and let’s talk through your situation.

You don’t need to suffer in silence. And you definitely don’t have to settle for half-effort plans that leave you beat up, frustrated, and stuck.

There’s a smarter way. Let’s find it together.

Free Assessment Form

Best,

John

P.S. That nice long exhale after finishing set of heavy, high rep deadlifts, and Chef Kelly’s delicious dinner from last weekend! Squid ink pasta and shrimp 👩‍🍳

3 Steps You Can Take

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Keep learning - You can check out my other articles here. Nobody asked me to, but I’ve spent a ton of time researching everything from artificial sweeteners to saturated fat to testosterone and more, so you don’t have to.