In this WAG Original Series, watch how CrossFit Games Champion Camille Leblanc-Bazinet overcomes serious injury and disappointment through perseverance and commitment. “I get to write the end of my story.” Camille says.

In this episode, Camille takes us deeper into the recovery process of rehabilitating her body following a serious injury, while explaining how working through a potentially debilitating injury can offer both an understanding and appreciation of life. “When the injury happened,” Camille says, “I was definitely disappointed, but I didn’t let that overcome me or take the best of me.”

Immediately following her injury, and with her husband and CrossFit coach, Dave Lipson, by her side, Camille began her journey toward recovery. In order to reduce her recovery time, Camille started rehabbing her shoulder three weeks before her surgery. After surgery and as soon as her doctor cleared her for activity and free range of motion, the hard work began. “Most people would just shut down,”  Dave says. “But she was doing every exercise the doctor would allow her to do, times ten.”

For Camille, getting her range of motion is the most difficult. “It’s easy to gain strength,” she says. “But gaining range of motion takes a lot of patience and work.” But rather than quit, Camille changed her focus.

Both Camille and Dave feel lucky. The negative experience grounded them in a way, and brought them back to reality: things in life are temporary. We must have an appreciation of life, because at any moment, things can change. “[The injury] really put things in perspective,” Dave says. “Sometimes we get caught up in our own stuff but this kind of experience humbles us.”

Another takeaway from the injury and rehab is the challenge, according to Camille and Dave. “When you’re injured,” Dave says, “you’re not where you want to be. So you have a choice: you can either let disappointment eat you up inside or you can focus on what you need to do today and find the success you have in each moment.”

Even though Camille lost a year of competition while she spent time in the gym rebuilding her strength, she celebrated her daily accomplishments. “A lot of people write to me,” she says, “like, you’re so positive. But I’m like, it’s just a boo-boo.”

The experience has shifted Camille’s perspective in so many positive ways. “I think you win at life when you work hard at the things you want and you don’t give up,” she says.

“This was not what we expected,” Dave says. “Maybe recovery isn’t a one-year plan. Maybe this is just part of the process.”

Today, Camille is back working hard in the gym. At her core, she’s a competitor, and in her heart, she’s an athlete. “It’s exciting to have a purpose again,” she says. “And it’s exciting to be an underdog again.”

Camille looks forward to competing again in the near future. She is writing the end of her story. “I’m going to have the biggest comeback in history,” she says.

 

Previous episodes in this series:

WAG Stories Camille LeBlanc-Bazinet: Success Doesn’t Always Equal Winning