There is an element of confusion in people who are focused and driven to overcome pain with continued training. Yes, grit will help you push through this pain and we believe in that 1000%! BUT, there is a difference between pain from extreme exertion, muscle soreness, and actual physical pain which is typically a type of injury. This true physical pain is the type of pain that could do more harm than good. Let’s dig a little deeper into this one.
Exertion has a definition of “A laborious or perceptible effort.” Now, this can be fatigued to where the willpower one possesses is completely used up creating a feeling of painfulness or tiredness. Don’t confuse this with anything bad, this is PURE GOLD’s definition of hard work! Exertion is a beautiful thing and a sign of strong mental toughness as well as the physical aspects too.
Muscle Soreness means one has “General discomfort in a muscle or muscle group that is the result of exertion or trauma.” This is something people often confuse with pain. The saying comes up ”No pain, no gain.” With this scenario quite often. But this is where it needs to stay. Muscle soreness is a great sign of knowing you did something that worked your muscles in a different way to create little tears (this is what you’re shooting for when working out) that then rebuild to create more muscle mass, resulting in muscle gain! But sometimes people think this “pain” is bad. It is a quite different feeling than actual pain so beware of confusing the two.
Pain, on the other hand, has a literal definition “A localized or generalized unpleasant bodily sensation or complex sensations that cause mild to severe physical discomfort and emotional distress and typically results from bodily disorder (such as injury or disease).” This is the feeling we have to watch out for. If something does not feel normal or your muscle just doesn’t feel sore but there is something more there, then that is when rest and recovery come into place. Overworking an injury is only going to result in more injury. As well, an injury is not something to boast about as it is the result of overworking, bad or incorrect form, or unsafe practices. One should not be working out unsupervised by a certified professional if the knowledge is not there to support the actions being completed. Every day, gym memberships are being paid for but not being used because people are sitting at home from injuries of thinking they can complete safe and effective workouts without the knowledge base to lead them through such things. Please allow your body the confidence and ability to accomplish your health and fitness goals by taking the help of a well-versed, knowledgeable trainer or exercise physiologist! Your body will thank you and those goals will come a lot faster than you expected due to proper form, correct time under tension, and programming that is best for your body’s needs.
Another soft topic of discussion under this same umbrella is the need for weight belts, knee braces, etc. If one feels the need to move weight in a way that “requires” these things early on in a fitness journey…typically the muscle mass is not there to sustain the weight one is attempting to move. That is why joint and ligament/tendon pain is being felt. Again, pain! This is where we pause, take a step back, and assess the signs and symptoms of the situation. These extra accessories to your workout gear oftentimes prevents the muscles from operating at full capacity because they’re not able to move in the ways they would like due to the bracing mechanism. As well, typically form is incorrect if one feels the “need” for these types of apparatuses. When too much weight is added before the muscle mass has been built to support it is when form is gradually decreased to how the body feels the need to compensate to move the weight. All of this comes down to the simple fact, TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL!
Without professional expertise, one cannot properly diagnose what is going on. PURE GOLD is always here to support you or even refer you to what is necessary for your safe and pro success! Happy safe lifting and go exert those muscles without injury, confidently!
“Exertion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster , https://wee.merriam-Webster.com/dictionary/exertion. Accessed 1 Jul. 2021.
muscle soreness. (n.d.) Medical Dictionary. (2009). Retrieved July 1 2021 from https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/muscle+soreness
“Pain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webste.com/dictionary/pain. Accessed 1 Jul. 2021.
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