For lifters with pain in one lift at a certain weight or position. Keep training it by changing one factor — no full deload.
The Decision
Name it. Which lift, what weight, and where in the range it bites.
Change one factor. → Bench pain off the chest: pause-press, kill the bounce. → Squat pain in the hole: pin squats above the depth that hurts. → Overhead pinch: landmine press, or adjust your grip width.
Train the modified version. Two to three weeks, pain-free.
Walk it back to full. As it calms, return toward the original lift.
The rule: pain that climbs through a set, back off. Pain that warms up and fades, usually safe to work in.