Are Your Limiting Beliefs Keeping You In Pain?

The Truth About My Pilates Back Pain Journey – I Was Lying!

For a long time now, I’ve been lying to myself about the true extent of my back pain and the limitations it has placed on my life. Like many people struggling with chronic back issues, I developed some really restrictive beliefs about what I could and couldn’t do physically. In one of my early videos from 2019, when I first launched my business to help others manage back pain, you can see me perpetuating some of these myths to myself and others.  The funny thing is this was a positive video, talking about how much I had benefitted from Pilates and beat back pain!

At the time, I genuinely thought lifting weights above a certain moderate level or participating in sports again was completely off limits. The MRIs showed degeneration in my lower back typically seen in older, manual labouring types. Specialists told me repeatedly to avoid certain movements for good. By my late 20s, even simple tasks like getting dressed caused severe pain some days. I was afraid sneezing or any sudden movement might paralyze me with agony. In that video almost 5 years ago now, I talked of limits of deadlifting and squatting around 120kg as a forever maximum, simply because that’s what I convinced myself was “all I could ever do”, and what’s more, I was happy with that.

I was so wrong! Over the past few years, while continuing and progressing with my Pilates-focused strengthening and mobility routine, I’ve shattered all those limiting beliefs I placed on myself. Just in the last 6 months alone, I’ve pushed my squat to almost 160kg and deadlift over 160kg – way beyond what I thought was ever possible. The crazy part is, I experience fewer flare ups now lifting heavier compared to years ago when taking it much easier. 

Pilates has been transformative in rebuilding my core strength, posture, motor skills and mobility from the ground up. What I’ve learned about controlled movement and breathing, bracing and moving with precision has allowed me to  return to other athletic pursuits too, and actually perform better than pre-back pain.

There will always be naysayers warning of further injury if attempting to progress beyond a self-imposed plateau. While listening to medical advice is key, coddling outdated opinions can be equally damaging over the long run. At almost 40 now, I’m now stronger and more mobile than any time in my adult life, despite those early prognoses of inevitable decline. My body works better than ever before! 

If you’ve been holding yourself back due to past pain or professional warnings, I strongly urge starting small with Pilates and gradually increasing the demands. Building functional core strength from the inside out can do wonders in strengthening and controlling problem areas long term. Don’t underestimate your resilience – with patience and consistency, continued recovery and results are achievable. The real limitations are the ones existing only in your mind. You’ve got this!