Fitness Myth: NO PAIN – NO GAIN

FITNESS MYTHS AFFIRMED OR DEBUNKED

NO PAIN, NO GAIN

This saying came to prominence in the early 1980s when Jane Fonda was producing of aerobic workout videos where she would use the catch-phrases “No Pain, No Gain,” and “Feel the Burn,” indicating and urging on those folks who were following along to workout past the point of aches/”the burn.”

It definitely rhymes and is so easy to remember which has aided to its staying power. As far as it being a mantra that you should use, or if it is sound workout advice, you can forget it.

DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN PAIN AND EXERCISE INDUCED FATIGUE

If an exercise has caused you real pain, you’re either doing it wrong or you’ve already managed to hurt yourself. You must be able to differentiate between exercise induced fatigue/failure and physical pain due to injury. It is vitally important that no matter what type of exercise you are engaged in, whether it is resistance training, or using any type of resistance of aerobic machine, you must use caution and proper form in order to avoid any type of serious injury.

As an example, exercise induced fatigue can be genuinely felt after using a moderately heavy weight and performing slow, proper repetitions in the 8-12 range, where the last 2-3 repetitions become exceedingly difficult to perform. Once you complete the last two repetitions with good form, attempt to perform one or two more repetitions. This is the “burn” and fatigue that is being alluded to by “Feel the Burn/No Pain No Gain.”

REMEMBER

Actual pain can mean that you’ve exhausted a muscle or torn a ligament/tendon. If what you’re doing really hurts, before, during or after a specific exercise, then you should stop. If pain begins prior to, during, or after and persists, then you should absolutely go to a doctor or orthopedic specialist and get yourself checked out. No or few fitness professionals (some are MDs or DOs, etc., but most are barely certified to be trainers or fitness instructors) are capable or allowed to diagnose or treat any illness, injury, etc., so be mindful that you should not go to a trainer, or gym owner or manager, and expect them to diagnose your injury, recovery time, etc.

Go Here if you need tips or advice on how to begin a fitness program or regimen

A little burn following a proper set of clean, slow and crisp exercises is fine and is to be expected, however anything to the point of pain, where you actually hurt and cannot complete a movement should be a warning to you to cease and get medical attention.

To you success,

- JT

Tags: fitness injuries, fitness myth debunked, no pain no gain