This is a famous mantra in the fitness world and beyond. In this edition of the newsletter, we are going to look at this concept more closely. While there is truth to it, this principle can also be taken to extremes that are harmful and result in losses rather than gains.
It is established that the body grows stronger as it is challenged – whether by increasing weights or increasing time on cardio activities etc. In sports fitness, this concept is used to keep athletes improving.
That said, a fine tuned athletes point of challenge is different than the coach potato working out for the first time. If the novice tries to do the same workout at the same level he hears a famous sports figure is doing, it won’t be long until there is pain or injury and the coach potato is back on the sofa.
Even a person who is consistent with working out can develop pain from practicing with improper form. In Pilates, having good alignment is huge, but good training in other modalities will also emphasize proper form as well. With Pilates, quality is often emphasized over quantity. Better to do a few good repetitions of an exercise and strengthen the underused muscles than to do many repetitions with bad form and continue to strain/overtrain the over developed areas.
With fitness, as in life, there is effort and challenge that brings growth. However, it’s really the use of the word “pain” in the “No Pain, No Gain” mantra that is misleading. While it is catchy and rhymes, technically real pain is generally not a good thing.
There are times you may have to work through pain, but that is not the goal. If you are in pain all the time and the pain increases with working out or certain motions/activities, you don’t want to ignore it. Pain is the body’s warning signal, a red light that there is something wrong. Continuing to work through pain when your body is telling you to stop, is ultimately going to end up with loss (an injury, lost time at work, loss in mobility and function) and not gain.
Listen to what your body is telling you. Don’t ignore the body’s signals like pain. Seek the appropriate professional help where needed – whether a family doctor or a specialist. Follow their recommendations. And when it comes to fitness, rather than thinking “No Pain, No Gain”, instead consider another mantra “Work smarter, not harder”.