The Poison is the Cure

I've read about herpetologists (those who study snakes) or other enthusiasts who administered snake venom to themselves over time. They started with a small load or a less deadly specimen. Over time they increased the dose, the load, or the toxicity of the venom. Eventually this led to a person essentially immune to the deadliest of snake bites. They could be bitten by an Inland Taipan and then head to the gym for a nice back and biceps sesh.

The takeaway for our purposes:

Your capacity is directly related to your self exposure - you are what you do and what you avoid

The answer to low back pain, is NOT to stop using it. The answer to foot pain is NOT to stop running. The answer to shoulder pain is to stop training shoulders.

The answer is in the mismatch of tolerance and load. If you begin by giving yourself to much volume of a too toxic venom...you will be in big trouble. However, if you never expose yourself to any venom...you will be impotent to its damage.

I do not know how many times in my own life or in the lives of my patients that returning to the thing that hurt them (i.e. deadlifts and low back pain, knee pain and running, tennis and elbow pain) was the cure for their ailment all along. Nothing...NOTHING is a substitute for the thing itself. Do the thing! Just find the right level of venom (volume and toxicity) that your body can withstand...then slowly titrate the yield to accomplish you've never believed you could do again. The body is amazingly capable if you guide it...

TAOT