No pain no gain

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forcheese
forcheese Posts: 24
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey,

So I know you can't change people's mind when it comes to fitness/weight loss you tell them your side and your leave it at that.

It's just so frustrating! My friend believes to her very core if your work out didn't leave you in pain you didn't work out.

She doesn't accept that their is another way to workout. She believes that you need to be in pain and cut out all the bad bad bad food (bread). Now I know many people do "cut the food" out as oppose to moderation, but really now in this day and age with technology at your finger tips can you still think that's the only way to go.

Also I know you workout to failure and you give it all you got when you work out I accept that, but she is specifically referring to pain.

Now someone please tell me I'm not crazy and that's an antiquated way of looking at workouts? I'm sorry that I'm using this forum as a way to rant, but she is a big part of my fitness regime.

I need to talk about my workouts etc to stay motivated, but after the umpteenth time of hearing "good you in pain, it worked"... I just need to hear it's not about being in pain.

Or have I just completely missed the plot? Do you really need to be sore/pain?

Replies

  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    You don't need to work til failure ( in fact doing it very fequently is less than beneficial more than likely ). Also, does not equal progress. You can become more efficient at movements, improve time, strength, speed etc all without physical soreness.

    What would you see as an indication of effectiveness - Pain or Progress? I'll choose progress.
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
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    LolBroScience wrote: »
    You don't need to work til failure ( in fact doing it very fequently is less than beneficial more than likely ). Also, does not equal progress. You can become more efficient at movements, improve time, strength, speed etc all without physical soreness.

    What would you see as an indication of effectiveness - Pain or Progress? I'll choose progress.

    Bingo. Yer such a smartypants.

  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    yeah... um... usually a workout resulting in days of pain is just an indicator that you're really bad at warm ups and cool downs and stretching and recovery...
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    which is NOT a pride point, imho, more like - something Im embarrassed by.
  • beachgod
    beachgod Posts: 567 Member
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    If you're in acute pain you're doing it wrong. DOMS is entirely different though and it is a good thing but not necessary for progress. It is also what is meant when people say "No pain, no gain" since DOMS can be uncomfortable.
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
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    beachgod wrote: »
    If you're in acute pain you're doing it wrong. DOMS is entirely different though and it is a good thing but not necessary for progress. It is also what is meant when people say "No pain, no gain" since DOMS can be uncomfortable.

    Very true. DOMS can be simply from hitting muscle groups that haven't been hit in a while or even from slight adjustments in form. But they typically won't be as intense a few weeks into a routine and the ones from slight adjustments in movements typically won't leave you aching for days, probably just 24 hrs.

    But I agree with the idea that pain should not be how you measure a good workout, whether it be during or after a session. There are other more quantifiable ways to gauge fitness and progress.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    edited January 2015
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    It depends largely on your goals.

    Someone lifting with the objective of hypertrophy (ie increasing muscle mass / bodybuilding) and lifting to failure is going to experience more discomfort that someone (for example a runner) lifting lighter / more reps for strength and injury resistance. Similarly someone training to run an ultra is going to push their body harder than a casual runner putting in 3 x 5km easy runs for cardiovascular fitness.

    In general though I don't subscribe to the "no pain no gain" philosophy but I do accept that there are times that making progress will require that I experience discomfort and, to be honest, I've had to take my fair share of ice baths.

    As to cutting out bad foods.....there are no bad foods.
  • forcheese
    forcheese Posts: 24
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    I'm sorry for the rant honestly I am... I just got so annoyed at being told I need to be in pain more (I did some new moves yesterday so I'm rather sore now).

    She's my friend so I usually give her slack with that, but when you actually sore lol your tolerance is a lil lower.

    The problem is she is seeing results so of course she thinks what she's doing is working. I try to tell her to be careful, but she just tells me to each his own. Which I totally get, but to have such an unwavering belief that her being sore is what she needs to see the progress can't be good.

    When I told her I know more fitness theories than she does I was told she also has Google. She believes her fitness trainers more than me and some of the stuff they tell her are shocking.

    I'm not an expert by no means, but I at least know there is a lot of different workouts etc to lose weight.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    DOMS is totally acceptable, but real pain? Meh. Not something I work towards.

    But, that said, I think you need to stop worrying about what your friends thinks and just do you. There's no point in wasting that energy.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    Why are you so concerned with her opinion?

    Do what works for you and move on.
  • forcheese
    forcheese Posts: 24
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    I'm not worried about her opinion on my exercises. I love my workouts and won't change it, but she's just so adamant for a second I thought I might be the one that's got it wrong.

    99% of the time I let it slide, but this time I just needed someone to remind me I'm not the "crazy" one.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    forcheese wrote: »
    I'm not worried about her opinion on my exercises. I love my workouts and won't change it, but she's just so adamant for a second I thought I might be the one that's got it wrong.

    99% of the time I let it slide, but this time I just needed someone to remind me I'm not the "crazy" one.

    Good!

    I will reiterate though that DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) is completely normal. And I would go as far as to say that if you aren't a little sore (especially if you are lifting) you may not be pushing yourself hard enough. But that shouldn't be PAIN, per say. Just a little soreness.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
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    I interpret pain as a sign of injury. Some discomfort or burn is just part of things but anything that really hurts is a sign to stop right away IMHO. Especially in the joints.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    shutupandlift308 wrote: »
    LolBroScience wrote: »
    You don't need to work til failure ( in fact doing it very fequently is less than beneficial more than likely ). Also, does not equal progress. You can become more efficient at movements, improve time, strength, speed etc all without physical soreness.

    What would you see as an indication of effectiveness - Pain or Progress? I'll choose progress.

    Bingo. Yer such a smartypants.

    B)
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    forcheese wrote: »
    she's just so adamant
    Next time just tell her what she what she wants to hear. Look her straight in the face and scream, "NO PAIN NO GAIN! Do you feel it?" Maybe this will shut her up.

    Then go about your business being mindful of the difference between real pain and discomfort.

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