Pushing yourself to your limits at the gym may make you feel like a beast and give you major bragging rights, but if you dread doing it again next time, you may have just sabotaged your workout routine.
Photo by Luke Lawreszuk
Workouts don’t have to be killer every time. Marathon runners, for example, don’t run 20-milers or even 10-milers every day; they stick to easier runs to keep up the habit, and push their limits maybe once a week. And strength coach Alex Viada, who has run a 4:15 mile and squatted 700 pounds, tells Women’s Health that a pain-focused mentality can do more harm than good:
Training can be intense, but it doesn’t have to hurt. Turning things up to 11 when the program calls for a 10 may look good for Instagram, but what’s the cost? Most times, this isn’t their job, it isn’t their livelihood — it’s meant to be a healthy endeavour that makes them feel good about themselves, mentally and physically. If that requires self-destruction, there’s a problem.
If you work out so hard you need a couple of days off, that workout isn’t helping you make consistent progress; it’s setting you back. And don’t forget to look beyond exercise in crafting your healthy lifestyle. Sometimes less time in the gym gives better results.
Why You Don’t Need to ‘Go Big or Go Home’ at the Gym [Women’s Health]
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