I want to talk about something that affects every single one of us—how to prevent injuries while working out, especially for those of us in our 40s and beyond. Whether you're returning to exercise, getting back into sports, or just trying to stay strong and feel amazing, staying injury-free is key to staying consistent and making real progress.
Let’s be honest: no one likes getting sidelined. And while there's no 100% way to guarantee you’ll never tweak something or deal with soreness, there are absolutely ways to minimize your risk and stack the odds in your favor.
First—You’re Not Fragile, But You’re Also Not 20
Before I dive into the actionable tips, I want to clear something up. Getting older doesn’t mean you have to stop pushing yourself. It just means you have to be smarter about how you train. Your body is still capable of amazing things—but your recovery, resilience, and risk all look a little different in your 40s than they did in your 20s.
This isn’t about avoiding hard things. It’s about training in a way that makes you stronger, not sorer. The goal is to keep you doing the things you love for the long haul.
What Actually Causes Injuries?
It’s not always that one dramatic moment—like hearing a pop or feeling a sharp zing. Injuries are often the result of things going wrong under the surface, building up until something gives. And sometimes, the part of your body that hurts isn’t even the actual source of the issue.
For example, if your lower back hurts, it might not be your back’s fault. It could be a tight hip, weak glutes, or limited mobility in your upper spine. The pain is the symptom—not always the problem.
So let’s look at the four major contributors to injury risk:
1. Stress
When you’re emotionally or mentally stressed, your body physically tightens up. You don’t recover well. Your immune system is more vulnerable. It becomes harder to perform well in the gym or on the field. Chronic stress increases your risk of injury in a sneaky but powerful way.
2. Sleep
The correlation between poor sleep and injuries is strong. If you’re constantly running on low sleep—especially less than 6 hours a night—you’re asking for trouble. And I get it, especially if you’re a parent or have pets waking you up. But even a few small changes, like going to bed 30 minutes earlier or sticking to a consistent sleep schedule, can go a long way.
3. Nutrition
Your muscles and joints need fuel to function and recover. If your diet is low in protein, lacking in healthy fats, or filled with highly processed foods, your body’s recovery is compromised. Poor nutrition can also lead to inflammation, which slows healing and increases injury risk.
4. Load and Exposure (Too Much, Too Soon)
This one’s the biggest and most preventable. Injuries often happen when we go from zero to sixty. You return to a sport or movement after months off and try to pick up right where you left off. Bad idea.
Think of this like driving a car. You don’t start from 0 to 80 mph in a few seconds. You ease into it—and the same should go for your training.
How to Ease Back In (a.k.a. “Graded Exposure”)
The term for easing back into training is graded exposure. And it applies whether you’re lifting weights, playing pickleball, golfing, or just starting a new workout program.
Here’s what it looks like in real life:
Golfing? Do 9 holes your first time back, not 18.
Pickleball? Play for 45-60 minutes, not 3 hours.
Lifting weights again? Start with lighter weights than you think you should use. Test, don’t guess.
This doesn’t mean go easy forever. It just means start small, assess how your body responds, and then progress gradually.
Choose the Right Exercise Variation
Another key to injury prevention is picking exercises that match your current ability. Don’t try to do something advanced just because you saw it on Instagram. Instead, scale it down, master the basics, and then progress.
Let’s use lunges as an example:
Too hard: Reverse lunges with weights
Better starting point: Bodyweight split squat, holding onto something for balance
Split squats are great because you reduce the complexity (no stepping, no balance issues), and you can focus on form. From there, you can progress to a reverse lunge or add load.
The Power of Slowing Things Down
One of the most underrated injury prevention tools is simply slowing your reps down.
Try this: on any exercise, go 3 seconds down, pause at the bottom, then 3 seconds up.
You can do this with:
Squats
Deadlifts
Pushups
Rows
Bicep curls
Anything, really
Why it works:
Teaches control and tension (especially important in compound lifts like squats and deadlifts)
Reveals form breakdowns that could be masked by momentum
Reduces joint stress and increases muscular engagement
It also gives you time to notice weird patterns, like leaning to one side or knees caving in. Slowing down builds awareness.
Don't Judge a Workout by How It Feels Today
We often evaluate workouts based on how we feel during or right after. But here’s the truth:
The real test is how you feel the next day.
If you’re so sore you can’t walk down stairs—or worse, if something feels off or painful in the joints—that’s a sign that you overdid it.
We want mild soreness in the muscles, not agony in the joints.
If you’re brand new or trying something different, expect some soreness (this is called a “novel stimulus”). That’s fine. But keep it manageable. A little sore? Good. Wrecked for 3 days? Not good.
How to Progress Without Breaking Down
Once your body starts responding well and you’re recovering like a champ, then you can:
Increase the weight
Increase reps
Switch to a more challenging variation
Reduce rest time
Add a new movement pattern
But remember, progression is only helpful if you’re actually recovering from the stimulus. You’re not building resilience if you’re constantly battling tweaks, soreness, or poor sleep.
The Real Goal: Resilience
Injury prevention isn’t about being delicate—it’s about building resilience.
Whether it’s deadlifts, squats, lunges, or even rotational exercises, your body can get stronger and more capable. But that starts with meeting yourself where you are, and then building up slowly.
This applies to everyone, but especially if you’ve had previous injuries or surgeries. You can still train hard—but you need to be intentional and aware of how your body is responding.
Listen to Your Body (and Learn From Tweaks)
Even with the best plan, tweaks happen. A little tightness here, a bit of weirdness there—that’s normal. But the key is to learn from it.
Don’t be the person who keeps pushing through an obvious pain point (like your shoulder during every bench press), hoping it’ll go away. That’s how minor issues become major ones.
Pain is information—not a badge of honor.
Modify the movement. Switch the grip. Slow the tempo. Do what you need to do to keep training smart, not stubborn.
You Don’t Need to Go It Alone
If this post has you thinking, “Okay, I want to start training again—but I don’t want to mess it up,” you’re not alone. And I’ve got a few things that can help you get started the right way:
✅ Toned in 20 Workouts
Short on time? I’ve got free 20-minute workouts you can do at home with dumbbells, bands, or just bodyweight. Perfect for easing back in and applying all these injury-prevention tips.
✅ Free Nutrition Assessment
If your recovery and energy feel off, nutrition might be the missing link. I offer free 1-on-1 nutrition assessments to help you spot simple wins and take action—no sales pitch, just real help.
✅ Coaching
If you’re ready to stop overthinking and want someone in your corner to guide your training, recovery, and habits, then coaching might be the next step. There’s a link below where we can talk and see if it’s the right fit.
Just click on whatever option you are interested in for more details.
Final Thoughts
Getting back into fitness or training hard after 40 doesn’t have to be scary. You just need the right plan, the right mindset, and the willingness to slow down in the short term so you can stay consistent for the long haul.
Pain isn’t progress. Consistency is.
So take care of your body, listen when it whispers (or yells), and keep showing up in a way that builds you up, not breaks you down.
Thanks for reading—and as always, go kick some ass.
– Bryan
