#56 - Strength Training Will Save Your Life with Bruce Trout | He lost his leg & gained a daughter in the same week but never gave up barbell training

#56 - Strength Training Will Save Your Life with Bruce Trout | He lost his leg & gained a daughter in the same week but never gave up barbell training

Author: Dr. Rori Alter, PT, SSC, PRSCC July 29, 2023 Duration: 1:16:19

Despite undergoing a below knee amputation, Bruce Trout never gave up barbell training. In fact, he made a career out of it. After a major accident that cost him his leg, Bruce Trout realized strength training saved his life and continues to inspire people to barbell strength train despite the odds, as if their life depends on it.

 

It's easy to give up and fall into a depression when a major injury threatens to take away your abilities. It's even easier to do so when it's not just an injury but a major trauma that takes away your leg and threatens your life.

 

In this episode strength coach, Bruce Trout, shares how his experience getting hit by a car and losing his leg was influenced by strength training and how his accident influenced him as a trainee and coach. 

 

The purpose of this podcast interview is to help athletes feel less alone when experiencing serious injuries affecting one or more limbs. As well, we hope to provide coaches and clinicians with tools to help barbell athletes process their injuries and continue to train even when training is not ideal. Hopefully this interview will provide you with some tools for managing training and rehab around lower limb/non-weight bearing injuries.

 

Bruce was in a car accident in 2019 which resulted in the loss of his lower left leg. He attributes the fact that he only lost a leg and not his life to his commitment to the Starting Strength Method. Since his recovery, Bruce has found his calling to help other individuals find their own strength and live a longer and fuller life through coaching at Starting Strength Columbus.

 

Bruce Trout shares his story about losing his leg and barbell training and coaching with a prosthetic limb. In this episode we cover:

  • How he lost his leg

  • What was the driving force to push him through the initial injury

  • How strength training saved his life and influenced his recovery process

  • His experience with phantom pain

  • How he progressed training initially after getting out of the hospital and once he received his prosthetic leg 

  • Why he can't squat and how his right leg picks up the slack plus other challenges he faces training his amputated leg

  • The role of physical therapy after an amputation

  • The biggest lessons he learned from his accident

 

Connect with Bruce on Instagram @brucebruce28 

Resources mentioned:

  1. Article about Bruce Trout's accident 

  2. Harder to Kill by Bruce Trout

  3. Starting Strength Columbus Gym

 

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Get in touch with the show!

Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com

Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com

Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs

Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs

Bre IG: @breannejulia_prs


Hosted by Dr. Rori Alter and Dr. Alyssa Haveson, Progressive Rehab & Strength is a conversation for those who take lifting seriously, whether for sport or for life. Both hosts are practicing physical therapists and certified strength coaches with deep roots in powerlifting, giving them a unique, dual-perspective on the body under load. This podcast digs into the nuanced intersection of rehabilitation and performance, moving beyond generic advice. You’ll hear practical discussions on programming for longevity, managing training around injuries, and navigating the technical demands of the barbell lifts. The aim is to strip away confusion and provide actionable insights that help athletes and coaches build resilient, sustainable careers-both in the gym and in their professional practices. It’s a resource for critical thinkers who want their approach to strength to be informed by both clinical expertise and hard-earned experience on the platform. Tune in for a blend of science, real-world application, and straight talk from two professionals who live in this space every day.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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