Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
A bulging disc at L5 took Emma Lawson off the 2025 CrossFit Open floor and forced her to rebuild from the ground up.
In this episode of the Brute Training Podcast, Emma sits down with Nicole Torres to walk through the actual comeback, not the highlight reel. They cover what the injury felt like in training, the decision to sit the season out, how they programmed around pain instead of through it, and what it took to get Emma back on the competition floor for the World Fitness Project.
We get into:
-The moment the back went and why it was ignored at first
-What a real rehab plan looks like for a Games-level athlete
-How to train hard without blowing up the same tissue again
-The mental side of watching a season slip while everyone else keeps competing
-The lessons Emma and Nicole would give any athlete currently stuck in the “I should be able to push through this” phase
If you’ve ever been injured, coached someone through one, or you’re trying to come back without rushing the process, this one is for you.
Brute Redmond Code
living.redmond.com/discount/BRUTE?redirect=%2Fcollections%2Fall-eligable-for-affiliate-discount
Which Program Is Best For You: brutestrengthtraining.com/quiz
____________________________________________________________________________
Like and Subscribe to our podcast:
Brute Strength Podcast - podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brute-strength-podcast/id1568567695
Follow us on Social Media
Instagram: instagram.com/brute.strength
Facebook: facebook.com/brUTE-Strength-1527828040783218
Twitter: twitter.com/brutestrength_
A bulging disc at L5 took Emma Lawson off the 2025 CrossFit Open floor and forced her to rebuild from the ground up.
In this episode of the Brute Training Podcast, Emma sits down with Nicole Torres to walk through the actual comeback, not the highlight reel. They cover what the injury felt like in training, the decision to sit the season out, how they programmed around pain instead of through it, and what it took to get Emma back on the competition floor for the World Fitness Project.
We get into:
-The moment the back went and why it was ignored at first
-What a real rehab plan looks like for a Games-level athlete
-How to train hard without blowing up the same tissue again
-The mental side of watching a season slip while everyone else keeps competing
-The lessons Emma and Nicole would give any athlete currently stuck in the “I should be able to push through this” phase
If you’ve ever been injured, coached someone through one, or you’re trying to come back without rushing the process, this one is for you.
Brute Redmond Code
living.redmond.com/discount/BRUTE?redirect=%2Fcollections%2Fall-eligable-for-affiliate-discount
Which Program Is Best For You: brutestrengthtraining.com/quiz
____________________________________________________________________________
Like and Subscribe to our podcast:
Brute Strength Podcast - podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brute-strength-podcast/id1568567695
Follow us on Social Media
Instagram: instagram.com/brute.strength
Facebook: facebook.com/brUTE-Strength-1527828040783218
Twitter: twitter.com/brutestrength_
