We’re often told in our workouts that we should push ourselves harder, but there are times when we should stop, too. We spoke to Mark Robinson, aka Health Man Mark, on where that line is.
You’ve heard the phrase ‘no pain, no gain,’ right? Getting fitter and stronger isn’t easy. If it were, more people would probably qualify for the Olympics. Pushing ourselves, says all-around health and fitness expert Mark Robinson, is when we begin to see results.
“The challenge is what makes achieving goals and seeing results all the more rewarding,” he says. “When we are challenged outside of our comfort zones, that is when results are achieved.”
When you should challenge yourself
When we exercise, we are essentially damaging muscle fibres, which causes them to heal and repair with nutrients and blood flow to the area.
Like what you see? Sign up to our bodyandsoul.com.au newsletter for more stories like this.
“This results in growth if we are doing resistance weight training or in anatomical adaptations specific to the training methods,” he says.
“We damage, learn to adapt, and replenish afterward with nutrition.”
So, pushing yourself requires a little discomfort, and it’s good if you want to shrink fat cells and increase muscle mass, while also increasing your aerobic fitness. You can learn to like this kind of discomfort, too.
“That feeling of being pushed outside your comfort zone, the point where you would prefer to stop but you know you need to keep going and embrace it,” says Robinson.
“This is where results begin to take place. It’s the muscles or lungs screaming for nutrients or oxygen, but it’s not bones or tendons or ligaments risking injury.”
He adds: “At first it can be a shock to the system but once we have been past it before, we know it’s bearable and learn to embrace it.”
When you shouldn’t
But there are times when you shouldn’t continue to push yourself: pain, particularly sharp pain, is a bad sign. Pain receptors exist for a reason, and you could do some serious long-term damage if you don’t listen to your body in that regard, though they’re pretty good at being able to tell the difference between good and bad discomfort.
“This might relate to joint soreness or a sudden bone ache or sharp shooting pain through a muscle,” says Robinson. With experience, we become very good at easily distinguishing between good and bad discomfort or pain. If these ‘bad’ pain symptoms are felt, we are best to stop immediately.”
Keep an eye on your form, and if you’re not sure how to perform a certain action, you should check with a trainer at your gym.
If you work out at home, watch an online demonstration of perfect form, then do it yourself in front of a mirror to ensure everything’s in alignment.
Mark Robinson is an accredited dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition & dietetics, and bachelor’s degrees in exercise science and psychological science.
Source link
