Getting back into training after injury or pain can be scary. Whether your injury is past or present or an ongoing or onset pain, learning to move between physical therapy and getting back into the gym requires some nuance. This is why it is so important to have a team working to help you achieve your goals and get you back to the training and activities you love. Key Takeaways If You Want to Improve Your Overall Health Over 40, You Should: Make sure to work with a trainer or team who is invested in your wellbeing Tweak your workout so that it feels good for your body right now, even if you need to do things a bit differently  Focus on the big picture of your health and your short and long-term goals Exercise is Medicine with Dr. Leada Malek Dr. Leada Malek is a licensed physical therapist and board-certified San Francisco Bay Area sports specialist. She is one of the 9% of US therapists who specialize in sports therapy. Dr. Malek uses a combined approach of manual therapy and specific therapeutic exercise to help her patients move better, perform better, and compete again. She believes that exercise is medicine. Whether you want to start moving more, move again, or improve, Dr. Malek is passionate about helping you get there. How to Age Your Way Dr. Malek knows that your scope of practice as a DPT, trainer, or other field in the industry requires cohesive training and a whole-person approach. This is why Dr. Malek focuses on client-centered care, especially for those of us who are over 40 and learning how to adapt our training to our bodies as we age.  Aging is beautiful, but you need to know how to keep your body strong as it changes. Your body is adaptable, and while it won't happen overnight, staying strong, fit, and healthy past your 40s and beyond is totally possible with the right attitude, training, and recovery. Getting Clear on Your Why One of the first things you need to get clear on, whether you are returning to the gym after injury, working to prevent chronic or onset pain, or just want to start taking care of yourself better, is that you have to be clear on your goals. Ask yourself what you are training for and how your goals play into what you want to do. This can help you support your body and mind. Exercising for life is crucial to your physical longevity, mental health, emotional state, and ability to handle life's stressors.  Dr. Malek is here to provide you with tools you can take with you throughout your life to ensure that you can do the things you want to do without the fear of injury. Are you ready to return to the gym after an injury or pain? Share your story, comments, and experiences with me in the comments on the episode page. In This Episode How to take a step forward if you have been stuck dealing with injury or pain (9:44) What you need to be thinking about as a person wanting to keep your body as healthy as possible (15:47) Learn how the old notion of staying still when dealing with injury or pain is changing (27:32) Tips for teasing apart the strings that make up your total physical and mental well-being (34:57) Discover the inspiration behind Dr. Malek’s new book ‘The Science of Stretch’ (39:33) Quotes “Proper programming, proper instruction, and consistency do wonders.” (16:05) “You can still get strong. The issue is I think we are made to believe that we are just supposed to get old and be old and feel old. And I think people need to understand that it is still possible and important. So no matter your fear, understand that this should be a priority.” (17:54) “The only bad workouts are the ones you are unprepared for, under-fueled for, and pushed through. Those are the workouts you want to be mindful of.” (28:25) “Everything is playing a role, and I think we just need to zoom out and recognize that we are working with a system and not just an injury.” (38:16) “As you get older, the biggest thing is what goals are you working towards, and how ca