No Pain, Still Some gain

The phrase “no pain, no gain” may still be prevalent among some bodybuilders, but for those of us who are just looking for a workout to stay in shape, this directive is out of date, and you don’t have to exercise until it hurts to get the benefit. “’Feel the burn’ is so 1980s!” said yogini Erin Michaela Sweeney, who recommends “feel the ease” in a self-paced vinyasa yoga flow instead. “I highly recommend Sun Salutation A for warmer months and Moon Salutation for colder months. For those new to yoga, it’s best to learn these flows from a knowledgeable teacher who can show you proper alignment, pacing, and adaptations for your strength and flexibility.” Fitness experts and personal trainers agree that the “feel the burn” mandate is unnecessary for most people. Personal trainer Richard Wilcock says, “As a personal trainer one of the sayings I hate hearing the most is ‘no pain, no gain’. It’s an old school approach to training stemming from a time when there was no such thing as sport and exercise science and where it was thought the harder you train the better the results could be.” Wilcock notes that while exercising until it hurts is not the way to go, if it feels too easy, you might not be doing enough. “Pain is bad, pain is your body telling you that something is wrong and that you need to stop,” said Wilcock. “There is however a very big difference between discomfort and pain. If when we exercise everything feels easy and you’re not struggling at all then we’re not getting any benefit from it.” “A good personal trainer isn’t going to push you harder than you want to be pushed,” said Andrew Marcus, co-founder of FitnessTrainer.com, a gig economy platform for personal fitness trainers to connect with people looking for fitness education and guidance. “Fitness training is all about creating a routine that is best for each individual, to help you achieve your own personal goals. If you’re a bodybuilder, then you are naturally going to go a lot further – but for most people, a personal trainer will create an exercise routine that accomplishes your goals while not adding too much stress. Exercise should be a pleasant experience, and something you look forward to, not something that causes you unnecessary pain.” Jessica Thiefels, personal trainer and editor-in-chief of HonestBodyFitness.com, says “I'm all about choosing the fitness you want to do—and choosing no-stress exercises is the best way to do that. In my opinion, no-stress exercises will be different for everyone, since everyone has different preferences when it comes to working out—someone may think weight lifting isn't stressful but finds cardio way too hard, while others feel that weightlifting is daunting and scary, and therefore stressful.” Thiefels recommends incline treadmill walking as an easy, no-stress exercise. “This is great for your quads, glutes and cardio endurance, but isn’t high intensity and therefore may be less stressful.” Bike riding outside is another no-stress exercise favorite of Thiefels, who says “To make this cardiovascular, and boost your fitness, while maintaining an easy pace plan to bike for eight to ten miles minimum.” Kelly Crawford, fitness expert and writer at HardBoiledBody.com, says “Government guidelines suggest we need around 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week spread out evenly.” Crawford notes that moderate exercise can include things like speed walking, cycling, or hiking, or even pushing a lawn mower! “Moderate exercise consistently and regularly may also be much more beneficial to your cardiovascular health than intense exercise. A 2016 study also found it may even be better at reducing your risk of diabetes as it improves insulin sensitivity better than intense exercise does.” Crawford also notes that exercise should be something we enjoy. “It is much better to get regular moderate exercise than to avoid exercise completely because you don’t want to face the intensity of it,” says Crawford. “After all, the point of exercise is to be healthier and happier. It should be a part of our lifestyle, and not something we dread.” Dr. Alex Tauberg, owner of Tauberg Chiropractic & Rehabilitation and a team chiropractor for the Pittsburgh Vengeance NA3HL hockey team, agrees that “no pain no gain” is a myth. “The belief that you need to be sore after a workout to get stronger simply isn’t true,” says Dr. Tauberg. “Research shows that delayed onset muscle soreness, the pain you sometimes feel post-workout, is not a reliable indicator for how good an exercise is. It’s okay to not feel sore after a workout, as long as you are working out properly.” Dr. Tauberg says that some of the best no-stress routines require no equipment whatsoever. “As long as you have a computer, you can look up all kinds of what we call ‘body weight’ exercises,” he says. “Running is an example of a body weight exercise. Probably one of the best things you can do if you’re looking to lose weight is do high intensity interval runs. Going out and running on the street in a full-out sprint and then taking a short rest and then doing it again is called high-intensity interval training. You should do this in an interval of 2:1, so for every two minutes of running, do one minute of rest.” Dr. Tauberg recommends not exerting yourself for more than five minutes at a time, with the total length of workout being in the range of 15 to 45 minutes. According to Carol Michaels, Idea Fitness Trainer of the Year, “No pain no gain is out, especially if you are over 50.” Michaels recommends a few no-stress exercises that can easily be done at home. “You should just feel the muscles working and exercise to fatigue, not to the point of pain,” she says. “A beginner exerciser looking for no-stress exercise can start with ten repetitions of each exercise and slowly progress to 20 repetitions.” A few of Michaels’ favorite no-stress exercises include: Pelvic tilt: Lie on your back with your knees bent, and your feet flat on the floor. Inhale and fill your torso with air. Exhale while pressing your abdominals downward, bringing your navel to your spine. Lower and repeat five to ten times. Bridge: The phrase “no pain, no gain” may still be prevalent among some bodybuilders, but for those of us who are just looking for a workout to stay in shape, this directive is out of date, and you don’t have to exercise until it hurts to get the benefit. Hip strengthener: Lie on your side with your bottom arm tucked underneath your head for support and your top arm resting in front of your body. Bend your knees and pull them up toward your chest so that your highs and torso form a 90o angle. Keep your legs and feet stacked directly on top of each other. This is your starting position. Lift your top leg about ten inches, then lower and repeat. When lifting your leg, try to maintain its position parallel to your resting leg; do not let either your knee or your ankle drop. Bird dog exercise: Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Make sure your knees are set directly below your hips, that your wrists, elbows and shoulders are in line with each other, and your head is in a neutral position. Contract your abdominals to maintain your balance while you slowly extend one leg directly behind you and simultaneously extend the opposite arm out in front (1). Hold for 10 seconds, then return to table-top position and reverse. When your balance is ready for a challenge, perform the exercise as described, then carry the extended arm out to the side (2) and then back to the front before returning to table top position. Dead bug exercise: Lie flat on your back with your arms and legs extended up toward the ceiling. Inhale as you lower one leg and the opposite arm toward the floor, dropping your leg only as far as you can without letting it touch the floor. Exhale as you raise your arm and leg back to your starting position and reverse. Keep your abdominals engaged throughout the exercise and control your movement. When your arms and legs are working at the same time, your lower back and/or ribs may start to curve up off the floor. Be aware of this and make sure you are pressing your lower back in to the floor throughout the exercise. As your abdominals become stronger, this will become second nature. Wall push-up: Stand in front of a wall and lift your arms to shoulder level. Place your palms on the wall slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Back your feet away from the wall and lean on an angle into the wall. Exhale as you push off the wall until your arms are straight, then inhale and come back to your starting position. Do not arch your back during this exercise. Squats: Stand in front of a chair or couch with your legs hip-width apart, facing away from the chair. Place one hand on your stomach and the other hand on your lower back. Your hands will help you remember to keep your back straight and your abdominals engaged. Slowly bend your knees and lower your bottom backward, as if starting to sit in to the chair. Do not actually sit down. Lower as far as you can, then stand back up.