Strength & Performance Training

Strength that carries over to your sport and your life

Strength training is part of how people recover, and a big part of how they stay healthy afterward. At Pursuit, it isn't an add-on. The same clinic that treats your injury also builds the strength, power and conditioning to keep it from coming back.

This page is for lifters, CrossFit athletes, field and court athletes, runners and active adults who want to get stronger without repeating the injury that stopped them. It's also for people who've never lifted but want to feel capable again. You don't need to be an athlete. You need a goal.

Physical Therapy for weightlifters and CrossFit athletes

Most clinics tell lifters to stop lifting. We try to do the opposite wherever it's safe. That's the idea behind our CrossFit physical therapy and physical therapy for weightlifters: treat what hurts and keep the barbell moving where we can.

• We look at your lifts. Squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, and Olympic lifts if that's your sport. We watch how you move under load, not only how you move on a table.
• We treat what hurts. Hands-on care, exercise and a clear explanation of what's going on.
• We keep you training around it. If your shoulder hurts, your legs may not have to rest. If your back is irritated, we may change the lift, the load or the range and keep the rest of your program going.
• We load you back up. As symptoms settle, we bring your lifts back in steps, with a plan for how heavy and how often.

Common problems we see in lifters and CrossFit athletes:

• Back pain physical therapy: lower back pain treatment after heavy pulls, sciatica treatment and herniated disc physical therapy
• Shoulder pain physical therapy with pressing and overhead work, including rotator cuff pain treatment and frozen shoulder physical therapy
• Hip pain physical therapy, including hip impingement (FAI) treatment for squat depth
• Knee pain physical therapy: patellar tendonitis treatment and meniscus tear physical therapy
• Elbow pain: tennis elbow treatment and golfer's elbow physical therapy
• Tendonitis treatment for tendons that haven't settled with rest
• Chronic pain physical therapy for pain that comes back every training cycle

Strength and conditioning coaching

If you're not hurt and want a stronger, more resilient body, we coach that too. Programs are built one-on-one around your goal, your schedule and your body.

• Strength. Barbell, kettlebell, dumbbell and bodyweight work, with technique coaching in person.
• Power and speed. Jumps, throws and sprints for athletes who need to be explosive.
• Conditioning. Aerobic and interval work matched to your sport.
• Mobility and accessory work. The small stuff that keeps big lifts and long seasons going.
• Injury prevention. Targeted work on the areas that tend to break down in your sport.

Why strength matters after an injury

Muscles and tendons get weaker when they're not used, and pain often leaves behind a pattern of moving that doesn't go away on its own. Rebuilding strength in a planned way, with the load increasing step by step, is one of the best-supported ways to recover from many muscle, tendon and joint problems. It's also how you get ready for the demands of your sport, not just everyday life.

A physical therapist who is also your coach

The usual path is to finish physical therapy, get discharged and then try to work out the gym part alone, or hire a trainer who doesn't know your history. At Pursuit it's one person, one plan:

Who we train

• Weightlifters and powerlifters
• CrossFit and functional fitness athletes
• Runners and endurance athletes who want to get stronger
• Field, court and ice athletes
• Active adults who want to stay strong for hiking, golf, family and work
• People finishing rehab who don't want to fall off

We also see golfers who want strength and mobility that fits their swing (physical therapy for golfers), athletes who need sports physical therapy and youth sports physical therapy, and runners who want physical therapy for runners alongside strength work. If you're not sure where to begin, a movement screen assessment shows how you squat, hinge, press and carry, and where the gaps are.

How does it work?

• Understand your starting point. We talk about your goals, your history and what you do now. Then we assess how you move, how strong you are and how you handle load.
• Build the capacity to move forward. A plan built around you. We coach it in person, one-on-one, and adjust as you progress.
• Get back to what matters. Lift heavier, run farther, play longer. We test and measure along the way so you know where you stand.

If you're coming back from an injury, return-to-sport testing shows when you're ready for the next step.

Strength training near Hopedale

We're at 3b Condon Way in Hopedale, MA, serving lifters and athletes from Milford, Mendon, Franklin and across the Blackstone Valley. Monday through Saturday, by appointment.

If you're searching for physical therapy near me, or a physical therapist near me who also coaches strength, Pursuit is in Hopedale and open Monday through Saturday by appointment.

Take the next step toward your goals.

Tell us what you lift, what hurts and what you want to get back to.

• Book an appointment. Tell us what you'd like to get back to.
• Pick a time. Then we'll get started.

Book an appointment

Move better. Perform stronger. Pursue more.

Frequently asked questions