Faster Injury Recovery by Retraining Your Nervous System with Garrett Salpeter
Host Tarek Michael-Chouja and Jay Hedley welcomed special guest Garrett Salpeter, a health engineer, founder of NeuFit, and expert in neuroscience-based performance and recovery. The three engaged in a conversation about the importance of the nervous system in pain, movement, and high performance.
In this episode, the discussion challenges the traditional view that pain and performance are purely physical. Garrett explains that the nervous system acts as the body’s control center, constantly evaluating whether you are safe or under threat. This perception directly influences how much strength, mobility, and output your body allows. Even when the physical tissues are capable, the brain can limit performance through protective patterns such as weakness, tension, or pain.
A key theme throughout the conversation is that pain is not simply a reflection of tissue damage. Instead, it is an output created by the brain based on perceived risk. This means that stress, fear, and even negative thoughts can amplify pain or slow recovery. For athletes and clients, this reframes injury from something purely structural to something deeply connected to the nervous system and psychological state.
The hosts also explore how mindset and internal dialogue impact physical performance. Garrett highlights how thoughts act as inputs to the nervous system. When someone focuses on fear or worst-case scenarios, the brain increases sensitivity and limits output. On the other hand, positive emotional states can reduce perceived threat and allow the body to access strength that was already available.
Another important concept discussed is finding the optimal level of challenge. Growth happens when individuals operate just outside their comfort zone, where there is enough difficulty to stimulate adaptation but not so much that it overwhelms the system. This balance supports neuroplasticity, helping the brain learn and adapt more effectively.
The conversation also emphasizes the role of communication and relationships in recovery. A therapist’s language, confidence, and ability to create a sense of safety can significantly influence outcomes. When individuals feel safe, their nervous system shifts away from a stress response, allowing healing processes to work more efficiently.
Overall, this episode highlights a powerful shift in thinking. By understanding and training the nervous system, coaches, therapists, and athletes can improve recovery, reduce pain, and unlock higher levels of performance.
Resources:
Get 15% off our Mental Skills Training course. Simply go to Functional Training Institute and input ‘PDM15’ at the cart checkout.
Check out our best selling book Purpose Driven Movement by host Tarek Michael-Chouja and Dan Henderson.
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About Our Guest:
Known as “The Health Engineer,” Garrett combined his training in Engineering and Neuroscience to create NeuFit and the patented NEUBIE device. He and his team train doctors, therapists, and professional sports teams and universities in how to apply NeuFit with their patients and athletes, helping them use neuroscience to recover faster from injury and optimize performance. He is the best-selling author of the book The NeuFit Method and host of The Undercurrent Podcast.
About Your Hosts:
Tarek is the co-founder of the functional training institute and FitWell Education lab. Tarek is an international educator and speaker who has presented numerous times at the biggest convention in Australia, Asia and the US. In addition, Tarek has presented courses to thousands of trainers throughout Australia, Asia, the Middle East and South America. Tarek is also a best-selling author of ‘Purpose Driven Movement.
Jay Hedley is a high-performance coach and creator of the Integral+ methodology, a whole-person approach to elite development. With over 20 years of experience, he has supported Olympic gold and silver medallists, Rugby World Cup competitors, professional boxers, and Formula 1 teams including Red Bull Racing and Williams F1. His work goes beyond traditional mental skills training, developing athletes across mindset, physiology, personality structure, and leadership. A Meta Coaching Foundation Certified Coach, NLP Master Trainer, and Neuro-Semantics Specialist, Jay helps performers elevate both results and consciousness.
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