Pushing through pain when exercising?

SFHSami4689
SFHSami4689 Posts: 1 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Whenever I work out I feel lots of pain at my knees, elbows, etc and it makes me want to quit each time. I do HIIT currently because of my living situation since I'm doing an exchange semester abroad and can't access a real gym and doing exercises on the ground really hurt. Any tips? Thanks!

Replies

  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,741 Member
    It shouldn't hurt. If it does, either your form is wrong or you are trying to do too much for your current state of fitness. Dial it way back. There are exercises you can do without a gym that will help build strength without causing injury: pilates, yoga, kettlebells, etc. If you are trying to burn more calories, then do low impact aerobics instead of HIIT. Walking or dance will get you active without causing a lot of pain.
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,069 Member
    In addition to what's already been stated, I would have to ask what kind of pain, and do you experience pain in your day to day and this just emphasizes it?

    Sounds to me like there may be a few things from lack of fitness for what you are asking, improper form, improper build up to current levels, etc.

    Pain isn't necessarily all bad, but if it is detrimental, and you have no known injuries/issues, then I would hazard a guess at the above items being some or all of the problem.

    If you have injuries/issues, then some physical therapy may be in order to build up the supporting muscles and ensure proper form. For example, I have a variety of old injuries that cause issues and I have to be sure to maintain certain exercises and to build things up slowly for those areas - slower than normal - but if I do that, then I can have a pretty intense workout eventually. If I maintain some exercises, my need to build up slowly is significantly reduced.

    Some of that, however, is also knowing my body, knowing my injuries, and knowing the difference between good and bad pain, which I'm not sure anyone else can really help distinguish for you as some people are just - ah - "more sensitive" - and need to learn to deal with a little discomfort, and some people have the opposite problem.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,177 Member
    Pain is a danger signal. If experiencing pain, I agree with those saying it would be better to dial it way back, and start/progress more slowly.

    There's a lot of pure cr*p these days described as HIIT, and the benefits of it tend to be way, way, overstated (and the risks ignored).

    In general, but for beginners in particular, fast-paced, exhausting, intense forms of weight or calisthenics-type exercise are an injury risk. Experience at slower paces may eventually allow experienced exercisers to do certain moves at a fast pace, while maintaining good form (to avoid injury), but beginners tend not to have internalized those intuitive kinesthetic guide rails. Fatigue during the session can increase the risk of injury, so make beginners more likely to be injured than exercisers with well-developed base fitness.

    What's commonly described as HIIT these days is generally not the best route to either fitness or maximum calorie expenditure, despite how it's marketed. Even traditional HIIT (a cardiovascular exercise pacing strategy) plays a narrow role in how elite athletes train - it's a condiment, not a main dish. Why on earth would us regular Janes and Joes do bucketsfull of it day after day? (The EPOC and metabolic benefits are greatly exaggerated. I could explain why I think that, but this is already getting long.)

    With some trepidation, I'd add this: Exercise beginners don't always have a clear intuitive picture of the distinction between discomfort and pain. It's not just "how bad does it feel", it includes perceptions about details of the feeling. Experienced exercisers who've had injuries, rehabbed the injuries, over-exercised to the point of extreme discomfort but recovered, etc. - they come to understand their own body signals at least somewhat better, IME. When it's all new, it's not very clear at all. Injuries can be a learning experience, but still not a good plan.

    If your joints hurt (vs. just muscle soreness), that's a bad sign. Don't stress them further. If they hurt after the exercise session, not just during, that's an even worse sign.

    What I'd suggest is that you take a break for a week or two, stop doing the HIIT. Do something more mild, like walking, pool exercise, etc., if you like. If your joints hurt now between exercise sessions, I'd suggest avoiding even similar slow floor exercises, or any yoga/stretching-type stuff that stresses those joints. If you still have pain after that rest/recovery period, see your doctor, get a diagnosis, ask for a physical therapy referral. Some joint conditions or injuries can burn bridges, i.e., get worse with more stress, lead us toward needing extreme interventions like surgery. Others will recover, allow us to resume activity more cautiously, with long-term good outcomes. Absent a diagnosis, it's hard to tell which is which.
  • Xellercin
    Xellercin Posts: 924 Member
    Muscles can hurt during exercise, but joints shouldn't. Stop straining your joints.

    Signed,
    Someone who is crippled because they didn't stop straining their joints
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    Land softly? Landings should be controlled and focused while still being able to maintain a fast pace. If you are landing hard with a loud thump, that could be the culprit. If you have had previous injuries or osteoarthritis, that could be the culprit.

    Maybe switch out some work with low impact circuits. That may give you some recovery time.

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