Fitness Myth: No Pain No Gain

Ever heard the saying no pain no gain when referring to exercise and working out? This is a common myth that many believe, that if you don't feel pain during and after a workout, you need to push twice as hard the next time or that you didn't really do "anything" this time and your workout was just a waste of time.

The truth of the matter is that pain is not an indicator of physical success. Experiencing pain and discomfort after your first workout is not unusual; remember at this stage your muscles are waking up after, probably, a long sleep and this is why they hurt.

However, the human body, being the amazing piece of science that it is, is a fast learner and learns to quickly adjust itself to cope with the stresses it faces. This is the reason why, after working out consistently for a week, your body no longer seems to experience the "pain". Now this "no pain stage" doesn't mean that you're not getting results, it just means that your body is now stronger to handle the pressures you've put it through during your workout.

Another thing to keep in mind is that pain is not the same as a bit of muscle soreness. Sometimes after a really hard or new workout, you may feel a bit of soreness in your muscles which is natural, but if you're experiencing pain, as in serious pain, it's likely to be your body's way of saying "hey, you're doing something wrong here" and as you can imagine, this is not a good indicator. If you feel pain during your workouts the problem could be that you're pushing your body too hard too soon or that you're doing something wrong.

Find out if you're doing something wrong by asking a personal trainer to asses your workout and let them tell you, from a professional's point of view, why you are experiencing this pain. Don't take the risk and assume that all pain is good when it comes to working out.

Experiencing pain after your workout doesn't
necessarily mean you're getting results.

Author: Dimi Ingle
Copyright: Remedium. This article may not be copied, in whole or in part, without the written consent of Remedium.