Pain.....OR just discomfort?

Let’s start by clearing something up straight away..........Your going to have to feel uncomfortable if you want to get the most out of your training. This expression of discomfort is very different from a sprained ankle, or a huge rip in your hand!! Injurys are definitely NOT worth pushing through in your daily training The “no pain no gain” in this sense is not what we are after and will definitely impede forward progress!

(Workouts can always be modified to create the desired training outcome, without risking further injury)

It’s likely that the more experience you have with your training, the better you will be at recognising your limits and deciding when it’s a good idea to push on and test your threshold OR when you actually need to pull back a bit!

(Multiple factors come in to play on these occasions- sleep, diet, hydration, work/life stresses!) When you do find yourself experiencing that familiar place of burning muscles, fatigue and heavy breathing, these are simply sings that you’re approaching your own limits Of course, going balls-to-the-wall everyday isn’t the best plan and in the long run could lead to exhaustion or injury. BUT, to know what you’re truly capable of, you’ll want to practice pushing right near your threshold... often!! When you get there Your brain will begin to tell you to slow down or stop because you’re tired, uncomfortable or struggling. This is a protection mechanism, used to keep you out of danger and used to keep you alive (which is fantastic) However that protection mechanism shows up way before we actually “need” to stop. It’s a reaction that happens rapidly. You get physically uncomfortable and your body thinks it is in danger so it automatically presents you with the thought to... “stop or slow down.” THE GOOD NEWS IS....... You get to decide how you want to respond to those signals. You can learn to interpret the discomfort as positive, as a good sign. The better you are at responding to the pain, the better you’ll be at pushing yourself, breaking through that barrier and reaching those new limits. 1. Firstly, embrace the fact that the uncomfortable parts of training are both necessary and good for you. They are an integral part of you reaching your performance potential. 2. Secondly, work on a strong response to the discomfort. When you start feeling that burning feeling or pounding in your chest… smile and know that it’s a good thing. Tell yourself it’s a good thing!