No Pain, No Gain. Is this aphorism just a fitness myth and downright bad advice? A lot of people seem to think so. As a bodybuilder with 25 years of training experience and more than two dozen trophies on my shelf, I have another perspective to offer you..
The Ultimate Truth?
Success with your body and in every area of your life is all about stepping outside of your comfort zone and that means embracing pain.
To reach high levels of physical and personal success you must approach your training, and your entire life, as an endeavor in constant growth. The ultimate truth is, you are either moving forward or moving backward; growing or dying. There’s no such thing as comfortably maintaining.
To grow, you must step above past achievements; beyond your perceived boundaries and limits. That means stepping out of the known, into the unknown; out of the familiar and into the unfamiliar; out of the comfortable into the uncomfortable. You must get out of your comfort zone.
The Late Cavett Robert, who was founder of the National Speakers Association, said something I’ll never forget:
“Most people are running around their whole lives with their umbilical cords in their hands and they’re looking for some place to plug it back in.”
Most people are scared of the new, unknown and unfamiliar. They prefer to stay in that womb of comfort. When the going gets tough; when the effort gets painful, when the work gets hard, they always pull back into safety. But the extraordinary people do the opposite. They know they have to get out of the comfort zone, and into new territory or they’ll stagnate and die.
Walt Disney once said that he never wanted to repeat a past success. He was always creating something new. They called it “Imagineering.” Disney’s mission was to continuously dream up and create things they had never done before, and look at what Disney has become today.
Here’s a little quote that you should post on your bulletin board, your computer desktop or somewhere you will always see it:
“Do what you always did, get what you always got.”
You can’t grow or change by doing what you’ve already done. You’ve got to train just to prevent yourself from going backwards. Maintenance doesn’t occur when you do nothing, maintenance is working to fight entropy (the tendency for things to naturally deteriorate).
Still, most people won’t leave their comfort zones. They won’t do it in business, they won’t do it in their personal lives. They won’t do it in their sport. They won’t do it for personal health and fitness. Why? The answer is simple… It hurts.
By definition, what’s it like outside the comfort zone? It’s UN-COMFORTABLE, right? Change is uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s physically painful, but it’s always mentally and emotionally painful, in the form of discipline, sacrifice, uncertainty and fear.
The maxim, “no pain no gain” gets knocked all the time as if it were bad advice. The fact of life is that you don’t grow unless you are constantly stepping outside the comfort zone, and outside the comfort zone is discomfort and pain.
How Champions and Winners Think
I find that it’s mostly the non-achievers who make out “no pain, no gain” to be a bad thing. But the winners get it. The champions understand stepping outside the comfort zone in a healthy context, so they embrace it.
When you’re talking about the Olympics, or pro bodybuilding or the Super Bowl or a world championship, you’d better believe it’s physical pain, it’s discipline, it’s sacrifice, it’s blood, sweat, and tears – literally. But for most people who simply want to go from unfit to fit, from overweight to ideal weight, it’s not so much about physical “pain”; it’s more like stretching yourself.
How do you develop flexibility? What does your trainer tell you? You stretch to the point of discomfort, but not to the point of pain, right? You get into a position of slight discomfort and you hold it just long enough, then what happens? The discomfort goes away, because the muscle becomes more pliable, and the range of motion is increased.
Each time, you stretch a little further, just barely into the range you’ve never been in before, and eventually, you’re doing the splits. And why do you approach it like that? Because you don’t want to injure yourself. Stretch too far, too fast and your muscle tears.
The elite athletes and high achievers really have to push themselves; they’re going to push their boundaries and test their limits. But if you’re not an elite athlete or seasoned bodybuilder, and you take the advice, “no pain, no gain” too literally, you’re going to end up getting injured.
I always say to my training partner when I watch him cringing during a set and he finishes up with that pained look on his face, “Are you injured, or just hurt?” He knows what I’m talking about. If he says he’s hurt, I say, “OK, good. As long as you’re not injured. Let’s get on with it. Next set.”
Good Pain vs Bad Pain
It’s not about injury. That is bad pain. Pushing yourself through that is stupidity. But do stretch yourself. You can’t improve unless you stretch yourself. If someone just wants too “stay fit” – OK fine. It actually doesn’t take that much to stay fit, once you’ve already achieved it.
But what if you want to improve? What if you want a new body? What if you want to change? If that’s what you want, you’ve got to push yourself a little. You’ve got to break comfort zones. And if your body is not changing, then I don’t care how hard you think you’re working, whatever you’re doing right now is inside your comfort zone.
The statement “no pain, no gain” has been misinterpreted, criticized and labeled a fallacy by many. However, the people doing the criticizing are almost always comfort zoners who haven’t achieved much. Don’t listen to them. Instead, follow the small percentage of people who step out and achieve great things.
Embrace the “good pain” of growth like the champions do. Soon it subsides, you enjoy the benefits of the change and the pain is forgotten. You’ve reached a new, higher plateau of achievement. Enjoy the view for a short while. But be on guard because it’s not long before that higher level becomes your new comfort zone and then its time to press on again.
About the author
Tom Venuto is a lifetime natural (steroid-free) bodybuilder, freelance writer and best selling author of Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. Tom has been featured in IRONMAN, Australian IRONMAN, Italian IRONMAN (Olympian’s News), Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness, Muscular Development, Men’s Exercise, and Men’s Fitness Magazines. Tom’s hard work, no-quick fixes approach has won him multiple titles in drug tested bodybuilding including Mr. Natural Pennsylvania, Natural New Jersey, Natural New York State, Natural Mid Atlantic States and NPC Natural Eastern Classic championships.
More important, tens of thousands of people in 141 countries have used Tom’s Burn The Fat program to lose as much as 253 pounds or just the last stubborn 5-10 pounds and achieve that coveted 6-pack of abs. To learn more about Tom’s all-natural approach (no drugs or pills) to fat burning, visit his fat loss website at www.BurnTheFat.com
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This has got to be one of my favorite burnthefatblog entries ever. I don’t think anyone else could’ve put the whole concept of “no pain, no gain” in better words.
Great stuff! I tell this to my clients often. I tell every one of my clients that I am here to offend you. I am here to make you uncomfortable. They initially look at me in shock, but totally understand where I am coming from when they see the results! Keep the blogs coming – they are awesome!
As T.S. Elliot once said “Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.”Great post Tom. Thanks for “keeping it real”
im really in agreement with this article, i often see ppl who are afraid of the “TERRIBLE” overtraining , and then, when they dont see the results they wants, they blame their genetics or things like that,The over training is incredible overrated by the most ppl, so they train like babies (I was about to say girls but i have seen girls that train a lot more hard than men), for me, i can train every day i want and why is that? because i eat well, i use the right suplements, i sleep well, etc… even if i train really hard upper half of the body 1 day and half down body the other day,so my secret is to train hard and a lot while like i said before, eat and suplement well and have a good sleeping.
Great Article Tom! When I was a wrestler in high school, the no pain, no gain slogan was our motto. We new we always had to push it harder and further and it was going to hurt or be uncomfortable. Now at age 46, I have needed to revisit that thinking in order to push past plateaus in my fitness endeavors.James Murphy
James, Indeed, the rule applies at every age. The only difference is, as we get older, it becomes all the more important to finely tune our skills of knowing the difference between good pain and bad pain as we press onward in our quest for physical improvement.
Wow! These two sentences really hit home for me….Thanks Tom”To reach high levels of physical and personal success you must approach your training, and your entire life, as an endeavor in constant growth. The ultimate truth is, you are either moving forward or moving backward; growing or dying.”
Tom you are Awesome… How true and timeless your words are.it’s sad but so many people live their lives in an osmosis state. A state of comfortable uncontriolled circumstance. A state of wandering aimlessly. Never realizing that you create your own circumstance. The lesson as you so eloquently expressed is a lesson of every aspect of your life. Relationships, Marriage, a great Physique, learning a language. you get back what you put in…you reap what you sow!Great comments from the others. you really have a great group of loyal follwers. Congratulations Tom!Paul R.
Now I know what to tell the people who call me crazy and having middle life crisis (because of my lifestyle choices). Thanks for another super article. This one really killed it!:-)
“Legendary, Tom! Glad you point out that stretching, pushing, growing through pain keeps us fit in mind and spirit as well as body. Helen Redding had a hit song with the lines: “Yes, I am wise, but it’s wisdom born of pain. Yes, I’ve paid a price, but look at what I’ve gained. If I have to, I can do anything.” Funny what we remember from our youth or childhood, but it gets us through!”
Amazing post Tom!This has been a topic that has really caught my attention alot recently.Here is another quote that I’ve found rather meaningful:There are two doors in life: pleasure and pain. And, through whatever door you enter, you are sure to leave throuth the other.Bartasar Gracian, The Art of Worldly WisdomI’m also stricken by the aspect of freedom in our choices…. It seems that we have freedom when we choose our pain and embrace it to grow. On the other hand we lose all freedom of choice when the pain embraces us as we alternatively decay and die…Wow …. deep! :-)Nice job Tom…. Keep on telling it like it is…
dkrivanos wrote, quoting gracian,There are two doors in life: pleasure and pain. And, through whatever door you enter, you are sure to leave throuth the other. – Bartasar Gracian, The Art of Worldly WisdomGREAT quote! thanks for sharing
Hi Tom,Just a thought. I was looking for a, “Print this article,” link to print this in readable text, especially to pass on to friends. How about a “PRINT” link.What do you think?Just had my Mr. Fixit hat on.G.b., Joseph Michael Wasik
Thanks, Tom, for making so clear the difference between injury pain and the discomfort that comes with pushing oneself to a new level. My first trainer was unhappy with me when I said my shoulder hurt and refused to go on. Turned out I had injured my shoulder and ended up going through weeks of PT. I have a new trainer now who regularly asks, “Good pain or bad pain?” when we push onward. I know the difference and I know my body. I’ve lived in it 61 years.
Great article!! Couldn’t have come at a better time. I definitely will start using “Do what you always did, get what you always got.” as a personal mantra to motivate myself in the days to come. Thank you :)
I completely agree. After being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia I bought into the “pain free” and “don’t over-do” suggestions of my doctors and friends. For a lot of years I let myself get sucked into a downward spiral of self pity and frustration subsequently gaining significant weight. I have worked through that faulty thinking and now question my diagnosis to begin with as I am barely 31. After a fall where I broke my back I took a new approach to training and rehab and found Tom’s site and books. I am not finished yet with my goals but I am proud to say that I am working hard and pushing through the pain. I’ve lost 20 pounds and my back feels stronger than it has in years. The hardest part was to stare pain in the face and work right through it (within reason of course). Once I did that the sky was the limit and my progress since has doubled it’s pace.
If by chance you have read this essay and you are thinking about disagreeing. First experience what it teaches, then come back and thank Tom for the free education.Carlos DeJesusWorld Bodybuilding Champion
As my old trainer used to say “You’ve got to move out of your comfort zone to find your achievement zone”. Words I’m living by now as I do Adam Water’s RTP system.
I could not have said it any better!!!!!!!!!!! Excellent choice of words!!!!!!!! Good job!!!!!!!!!!!
“look around in your average gym, and do the opposite.” (Charles Stayley)I think of it as learning to endure more intencity than before. If pain comes from it, so be it. I do not seek pain nor shy away from it.
former fatty mark wrote:“learning to endure more intensity than before.”thats a GOOD way of putting it!and former fatty mark wrote“look around in your average gym, and do the opposite.” (Charles Stayley)Yup! charles is a smart guy. I recall Earl nightingale saying something to that effect many decades ago as well, referring to life and life success in generalthanks again!Thanks!
wonderful article, really inspirational!
Tom, I read your blog all the time and really enjoy it, but today´s post is my favourite so far! Oftentimes you see people training in the gym sleepwalking through their training session! No wonder how come year after year they look exactly the same!Thank you! :)
I have been using your blog as encouragement in training for awhile now, but this one is the best. It speaks to me in more than just the physical fittness arena. It confirms what the Lord has been saying to me, “launch out into the deep and let your nets down”. Launch out in all aspects – fittness, business, giving, etc. Thank you so much, thank you deeply.
Tom, you are such an inspiration! You always give me that kick up the backside I need even when I think im doin fine you remind me I CAN DO BETTER! You are doin a great job and I look forward to your next blog :) x
I like the U.S.M.C. slogan:”Pain is weakness leaving your body…”Get mad at the weakness and push out the last set. Tom, you made a huge difference in my life. I can’t begin to tell you how great it was finding your material and reading it. You’ve saved me a boatload of wasted effort. This latest blog entry was excellent! “Pain” is also the discomfort and hassle of making the food every weekend for the next week. Pretty soon even that “pain” becomes habit.Thanks again!
TomGreat article and I completely agree! If you are not pushing yourself beyond your current limits how do expect to improve. In order to obtain 6 pack abs, or get bigger you need to push yourself. The only way the body will change is if you throw things at it that it has never seen before.
This was a first class article .If you train by yourself as I do with limited equipment and as the nearest gym is much too far away to contemplate[I have advertised for a training partner but no uptakes]] then all workouts have to be done with a slightly greater safety factor built into them which makes the concept of pushing to the extremes more challenging.To take a contrarian point of view about the world and life as a whole ,do we actually require most of the population to settle for “what they have” so that those with greater vision have a better chance of achieving something different .I find myself curious about a world in which everyone was continully exploring fresh boundaries and asking rhetorically if we would be comfortable in such an environment?
great article for a great philosophy on life generally – keep writing them you offer people so much more than just body building.
Fantastic blog entry. the ‘It’s 2009 and the world is FAT’ line particularly.I think the no-pain no-gain stems from the 21st century ‘credit-card’ weilding nation who always seem want ‘instant gratification’Nothing has to be earned or worked for anymore, just ‘paid off at a later date’ This philosophy has spilled over into exercise and fitness with the ‘magic diet pills’ et al.Good to read.
This is very good timing Tom!I have had a number of heated debates with a group of close friends on this topic of “Staying in your comfort zone, and just doing enough to maintain”, “Why push your self” and so on..The only conclusion that came out of the debate was that, if people can get away with doing the bare minimum and get by, then they will!Very well put Tom.I will be forwarding this article to my friends in hope that they will eat some humble pie!Thanks Tom,Lee
What a relevant article….having survived (just) a very badly broken neck one year ago in a surfing accident I know better than most about good pain and bad pain and I also know when to push and when not to push and I am happy to say that the blessing out of this situation is that I’ve learned how to push through the pain…as a result I have made a miraculous recovery and just 12 weeks out of hospital benched 210 today from battling to pick up the paper 12 weeks ago. That is only possible because I identified and pushed through the ‘good’ pain otherwise known to me as discomfort. I KNOW what real pain feels like.Thanks again Tom, for a ‘real’ article about a very important subject.
Right on Right on! I am doing just amazing things in my later 50’s because I dared to push myself out of the comfort zone and now having a blast with my life and dong marathons! I am just getting started! Three years ago I couldn’t run across a street to save a life! Thanks again! Keep telling us what it takes to “train hard and expect results” and have fun doing it at ANY age!
Great Article! Thanks, Tom, for making the distinction between training hard and injuries. I’m fortunate that both of my recent trainers recognized the difference between giving me a hard workout and giving me an injury-causing workout. I still sometimes push myself too hard (and have a bad calf strain to prove it) but it’s so gratifying to identify a goal and work hard to reach it….the victory of reaching that goal is even more sweet.
Absolutely great and inspirational article.However… Throughout the article champions and achievers were mentioned. An extraordinary people who choose fitness to be their main priority. But a lot of us are ordinary people who have jobs and families and responsibilities. Pushing yourself and achieving is great, but I don’t see to many people around me who are not drained by the end of the day and don’t have a list of chores for the weekend. Don’t take me wrong – a lot of us do our best in gyms and find the inspiration in fitness websites and look for the newest in fitness and try to learn from the best and get BTF.But even you quote says: “MOST people are running around..” I see and talk to these people every day and I am not very successful when I tell them one has to work hard to get somewhere.
Thanks Tom for this post. This one and the one from last week are pure gold. I wish everybody would read it because it’s not just about weightlifting, but about life in general.BTW – I started doing your BFFM program this January (though I’d purchased it a year or two before! :P) and to date I’ve lost close to 25 lbs of fat and gained about 6 lbs of lean mass. (down to 194 @ 17%BF) Thanks for the great program!
This is both educational and inspiring. No one has helped me get into better shape and feel great about exercising like these blogs here. They’ve helped me with real results.Thanks a lot.
That is a fantastic read Tom. It’s so easy to slip into that comfort zone, even as a personal trainer…I really like the saying/question, “Are you comfortable being uncomfortable?” which is so true. The majority of people out there, whether it’s the gym, business, life, etc. are in that zone and just can’t be bothered getting out of it, or have tried before and its all just been too much.Keep trying and never give up.Regards, ClaytonPersonal Trainer | Adelaide, Australia
Awesome article Tom! Between the article itself and the life breathing in and through it with all the great comments… well, let me just say “I see fat people” because of your work Tom. Keep up your faith in believing in the change you are making in this world partner! God bless!
Great post, Tom!
how do you distinguish between good and bad pain?
Both my dad and uncle were in the military and are now coaches in various sports who preach “no pain, no gain” and “pain is weakness leaving the body” to their students regularly. I truly believe you cannot get anywhere in life if you stay put in your comfort zone. I’ve experienced it many times academically and am now experiencing it physically with trying to get into shape. I really appreciate this post because not many understand the true concept of the quote. If you want to get somewhere, you have to actually move.Great job Tom, So far I’ve lost 10 pounds and am feeling great. =] Thanks
You are such a cool dude. You give advice with real substance.Articles like this are just what I need for the summer since I’m out of season for rowing at my college and am going to have to be more self-reliant for motivation.But not just for summer either. Whatever that one quote is, “Sports don’t build character- they reveal it.” How you train is exactly how you approach life.This just made my day. Thanks.
You are right, Tom, it’s so painfull for me to wake up at 4:45 to get to work (I’m not an early riser by nature), it’s so painfull to swim for an hour (I hate that chilly water in the swimming pool) and it’s so painfull to smell a nice crusty baguette or a croissant (I live in France) and not to take a bitefull (as it is made of white flour). BUT it feels so good to come home from a half-hour jogging outside in the woods or one-hour step aerobic in a gym (aching and sweating all over), and have a fresh shower – it feels like a “renaissance”, re-birth and it is so satisfactory!!! So my daily pain is my daily bread (“Pain” in French !!!)
Amen!I am sure this article would make a great motivational speech.By the way, The Bodyfat Solution is not mentioned in your “About the author” text. Not sure if this is intentional or if you simple forgot to update it.
Great article. I do believe in the “no pain, no gain” to some extent. However, when training people, especially women, I feel a need to separate them from this die hard motto. Too many people think that if they aren’t on the verge of death when they train that they don’t get in a great workout.That just isn’t always the case. Yes, there is a time for extreme discomfort, but it can be a self-defeating behavior to get addicted to that feeling.Just my opinion. : )
, I’ve heard that when you’re just beginning to lift weights, to just work through the pain you feel for a few days afterward. I personally do arms/back, abs/core and legs on separate days, so there is 2-3 days of rest in between each session. If that muscle section is still sore, I normally just work it anyway when it’s day arrives. Does anyone know if that is good or bad – can it lead to straining, overworking, pulling or ripping muscles? Should I wait until the pain completely disappears?Thanks!
“Dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you’re willing to pay the price” quote by Vince LombardiBy the way, great post Tom. It is really inspiring. Thanks for clearing the confusion about the subject.
Great article. I’m a cyclist and also compete in triathlons and I know that if I don’t push myself I will not make the gains that I want.I listen to my body and know when to push to the limit. If I don’t feel 100%, I don’t push to 100%, the opposite applies if I am feeling good.I know that pain and exhaustion sometimes have to be experienced to reap the rewards. In competition one has to be willing to push one’s body to the absolute limit in order to be a winner.People who don’t push themselves to the limit, and beyond their comfort zone, don’t become winners, pure and simple.
It follows that people are always looking for a painless fix.”Get Fit In Five Minutes Per Day”.”Eat what you want and still lose weight”.No, you won’t! Getting fit involves forcing your body out of its comfort zone. Losing weight involves sometimes feeling hungry due to a calorie deficit.Or worse, liposuction, gastric bands, gastric bypass.All the result of believing that you are predetermined to be a set size, so what’s the point of trying to combat it. Why not take the easy option of surgery, never mind the huge risks.The point is that high levels of fitness and a good physique are never acheived by people who don’t step out of their comfort zones.
Nia wrote:Great article. I do believe in the “no pain, no gain” to some extent. However, when training people, especially women, I feel a need to separate them from this die hard motto. Too many people think that if they aren’t on the verge of death when they train that they don’t get in a great workout. That just isn’t always the case. Yes, there is a time for extreme discomfort, but it can be a self-defeating behavior to get addicted to that feeling. Just my opinion. : ) Thanks for your post. I understand what you’re saying completely. I know a few of those “verge of death” folks… heh.. . ive been accused of being one… at times.Also, I know plenty of women who can train most men into the ground, and women and men both need a certain amount of intensity for maximal progress. I think we must consider the person as an individual, not necessarily the gender.and the same time, this philosophy of pushing ourselves and getting out of comfort zones still has to be there in order for people to make significant progress, especially if they are currently NOT making any progress.Therefore We, as fitness educators, again, have to be able to express “no pain no gain” to our clients and readers in a way that the underlying message is understood. pushing ourselves in a positive way has to be communicated.Depnding on who is listening, you could just as easily say, no EFFORT, no gain, or just talk about the importance of outright HARD WORK. What you put in is what you will take out…the law of compensation.and always remember, extraordinary goals require extraordinary effort. “getting toned” and winning a figure or bodybuilding contest are no where near the same goals.I think it goes without saying that the goal is not to see how much you can beat yourself into the ground every time you work out — the GOAL is the results. The goal is to achieve a change in our body and our health. .On the other hand, the further one gets into bodybuilding and competive athletics, the more one really does have to test his or her limits, at times, in order to become a champion.tomPS hey nia, 300 deadlift at #122. Damn. (how much pain was there when you pulled that…. and trained for that?)
Great article and I agree with you 100%. How are we expected to grow as human beings if we are not pushing ourselves past our comfort zone? The fact is that most of us spend far to much time cocooned in our own little worlds, never daring to step out of the safety net we have crafted for ourselves. The fact is if you want results then you are going to have to push past the pain barrier.
No pain, no gain – that’s the truth! Just take squats for example, did you really enjoy them when you started doing them? Eventually I started to enjoy them but it was more because I could feel them working.
If I hadn’t read this, my concept of No Pain, No Gain is still literally about pain, and who’s not afraid of pain? Most people of course but the “stepping out of the comfort zone” made me realize that I’ve had it in me for a long time now. Back then I was afraid to try new sports because i might get hurt, and so I did when I train for Wushu.Just the warm-up made me pass out and on the first day I thought of quitting because my body simply couldn’t handle it. But my determination to evolve myself (or so as what Tom said; stepping outside the comfort zone) made me do it and after the training I have reaped the benefits of self-confidence, a knowledge of self-defense, and of course a sense of a NEW me.My next plan is to get in shape and the first problems I encountered was the pain in weights. I simply hate weights because Im not a lifter but the way for the leaner me is too vague if i don’t tackle weights and so I did thinking “i will surpass this stage” and so in my third week, my progression was beyond my expectation…This article inspires me to stretch beyond my limit, thanks to the ever-fantastic Tom
Hello Mr. Venuto,I sat down and read all of the 12 parts of your mini-course from your http://www.burnthefat.com site. . I read them, recorded them on my personal recorder and really got into them even writing notes. I have to say the information reached into my subconscious and has been a part of my thinking for the last few days. I have not forgotten any of it and it is fabulous that you were so generous to get us all started on the right information.Due to financial restraint I dont own your program “Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle” yet but I will. As a matter of fact I had promised myself that the mini course would be the very last time that pay attention to anymore material or “redderick” if you will on Weight/Fat Loss. I’m simply tired of it. But I intend to buy this and let it be my last purchase on this subject. I’m making fat loss progress now 5lbs in two weeks just by following some of your common sense and some of your complex treatments/discussions on fat loss vs. weight loss problems and lies.I feel secure after reading your mini-course that it would be a great decision to purchase it. I will e-mail again when I do so and hopefully I can become one of your testimonials in pictures. Thank you for bringing sincerity and truth to this ever so evolving issue.Sincerely yours,Tina
Now days people want a quick fix and have become very lazy, unrealistic and are willing to believe anything that claims to give them a six pack in a matter of minutes. The only thing they end up losing is their money and they soon move on to the next gimmicky product or gadget which becomes a never ending cycle.It is extremely unfortunate to see companies preying on these peoples insecurities and desperation simply to line their pockets. The simple truth really is there is no substitute for hard work and people need to take ownership of their own health and fitness goals by educating themselves.So don’t believe the hype with a little bit of knowledge, some determination and a lot of sweat you will reach your fitness goals.
Great post Tom,
And I say amen to ‘no pain, no gain’ being potentially dangerous. I see too many people lifting waaay beyond their max in the gym (think doing bicep curls by mostly using the legs…)
We sure have to lift heavier and push ourselves harder as we progress, but every time I step into the gym I like the pain of work I am about to do. One of the sayings I really like is ‘pain is mandatory, but suffering is optional’. Suffering is resistance to pain, so I chose not to suffer please.
I have been using a new system (to me) for the last couple of months with great success, it’s called Myo-Reps and it’s been developed by a guy called Borge Fagerli. It’s similar to Rest-Pause, and DC training, but with some very specific differences, that I believe will mean it gives much longer lasting results. You can read about my experiences of it here:
http://blog.superbootcamps.co.uk/2011/weight-training/myo-reps-programs-for-muscle-building-and-hypertrophy/
Keep up the good work,
George
Great blog post Tom! This one-liner is one of the hardest myths to bust or explain! Every day in the gym I see people not even breaking a sweat, be it during weight or cardio training. When I ask, some times I do get the reply, I don’t like to sweat!!! Some times I then ask: Why are you here? And usually their reply is the give-away, they go something like: I just want to shape up a little, tone up those flappy areas and lose a few pounds. They have not set themselves up with a concrete goal, and a plan to achieve it!
It’s so easy to stay in our comfort zone, although we’ve all heard “no pain, no gain”.
Like you said Tom, there’s a good pain and a bad pain. The good pain comes from running those 3 miles after taking a few weeks off, or even from running them at a faster pace than last week.
The bad pain comes from spraining your ankle and trying to “run it off”!
2 good man u rock . the essay was simply awesome
the essay was simply awesome
No guts no glory. Reminds me of the movie “300” when 300 Spartan warriors pushed past thousands of warriors and soldiers to stand up against a Tyrant. Life is made up in such a way that if you want make it big you will have bigger obstacles. Success is just easy enough for those that want to make it but hard enough for those who don’t deserve it.
I love this article. I admit I grew up just doing the things that are within my comfort zone. Well that was one of my many reasons why I became overweight & my weight yo-yoed for many years even if I wasn’t born fat & in fact had a normal kinda muscular looking body when I was a kid. So came last year when I finally decided to “embrace the pain” & go out of my way to take over my health & body. I worked my butt off starting with 30 mins, 3 times a week and now I workout average of 45 mins, 6 days a week plus the extras I get from playing football & martial arts. Soon all my sacrifices & hard work paid off, from 75 kilos I’m down to 53.6 kilos & from 36% body fat I’m now down to 23% (right now I’m shooting for 17% body fat) My dad, who also exercising but hates to get out of his comfort zone, thought that I’m doing it like crazy & that I overtrain just because I literally workout almost everyday with HIIT cardio 3x a week & weight lifting plus moderate cardio 3x a week (apart from playing sports) and also thought that I’m doing a “starvation” diet just because I now developed the discipline to portion my food correctly. Others are telling me that why risk the pain & instead just take diet pills, DUH! I’ve been there before so NO THANKS. To make matters even worse, some people are telling me I’m becoming less feminine simply because I go out of my way to lift heavier weights. Then these same people would ask me what the hell did I do to lose this much weight & got into where I am now, hahahahaha!