117 | Strongwoman and Author Alyssa Ages: Learning through Failure

The Injured Athletes Club

“Because I wasn't a competitive runner, I don't think I ever had to face failure in that situation … but in strength sports, when I compete, I'm doing that in front of a crowd and a judge who is just looking at me. And it's totally changed the way that I have to handle that fear of failure because it's right there in front of me. I can't escape that someone is looking directly at me and judging whether I've passed or failed. And what I've learned from that is just that it makes you, I think, a better person when you face failure in that way.”

On this week’s episode of The Injured Athletes Club, Alyssa Ages, an endurance athlete, strongman competitor, and the author of Secrets of Giants: A Journey to Uncover the True Meaning of Strength shares the many lessons she’s learned during her athletic pursuits—and why sometimes, failure is the ultimate success.

Alyssa discusses her transition from being an endurance athlete to a strongman competitor and how a miscarriage she suffered led to a profound change in her perspective. (So, a note that that’s a topic we touch on, in case that’s a tender spot for you right now.)

She delves deep into her experiences with injuries, how strength training helped her physically and emotionally, and how she copes with setbacks using skills she picked up from various sports. The conversation also highlights her thoughts on body image and the cultural norms surrounding women's bodies.

Resources/links:

• Alyssa’s website and Instagram
• Her book Secrets of Giants: A Journey to Uncover the True Meaning of Strength
• Her Ultraphysical article, “Exploring Our Physical Limits”

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