If you have ever stepped foot into a gym, chances are you’ve heard it, if not said it, before: “No Pain, No Gain”. While there is some truth in this statement, it is so widely and frequently used without any thought, that thousands of individuals suffer unnecessary and avoidable pain and risk injury on a daily basis.
To avoid injury and get the most out of your workouts, you MUST be able to distinguish between good and bad pain.
Good pain constitutes:
- The muscle pump (feeling of blood engorging the muscle)
- Muscle burn during lift
- Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) lasting 1-3 days following exercise – depending on fitness level and intensity
Bad pain constitutes:
- Pretty much anything not listed above!
- Pain during a lift
- DOMS lasting more that 3-4 days
- Pain causing sleeplessness or that alters ability to perform daily activities
Good pain is necessary for the development of muscle through weight training; whereas, bad pain is indicative of muscle damage and requires treatment.
