Have Gain Without Pain

This exercise advice seems so simplistic, but remember that it is often the ideas that seem too obvious to mention that mean the most when truly contemplated. Take a good look at the suggestions below to understand that pain is never a good part of exercise, and that rewards represent a critical piece in the long-term success of any workout routine.

The Do:

Reward yourself. Human beings, as is their nature, want to feel recognized and appreciated. Knowing this, make sure that you take the time to find proper rewards for all the effort and dedication you invest in your body and its healthy development. This is not to say that you should, immediately following your first ten-mile run or thirty-minute continuous swim, hustle out and shower yourself with bacon double cheeseburgers. Instead, it is meant to communicate to you that providing a little treat to yourself, something that you have missed, been deprived of, or have always wished for, will go a long way to keeping the positivity flowing. Just make sure that whatever you select does not entice you to regress or lose your focus.

The Don't

Why so many people see pain as a good feeling in the weight room I will never know. You have to learn your body, thus understanding the difference between pushing the muscles to get them to grow and listening to them when they distinctly tell you to stop. The phrase "No pain, no gain" is as large a misnomer as ever created, especially in that it teaches you to endure pain, not pressure. If your muscles actually pinch and shoot with pain, stop immediately. Examine why your body reacted in such a manner, and then assess whether or not it is safe to proceed. Exercise does not have to hurt to work. Preventable injuries often occur as a result of an overdone ego, so put the machismo aside and listen to what your body says. After all, it, not you, knows best.