I’m sure you’ve heard it, but do you believe it?
We don’t! Sure, you can (and probably should) feel sore after your workouts. And during your workouts, it should feel like you are WORKING. But pain, that is not what we want and should not be a part of your workout experience.
So, what should you do if you do experience pain during a workout?
Let’s look at this flowchart a bit more closely.
First, pain is not normal, so if it occurs, stop what you are doing.
You can then gently try to stretch out the area. Try some half moons or reaching down to the ground for a back issue, for a quad, try pulling your foot up to your butt. Just move gently and try to reset your body alignment.
Then you can try the exercise again, with some modifications. If you were using a weight, set it down and try it without weight. Try to decrease your range of motion, don’t go as deep in your squat/ lunge/ push up, whatever it is you are doing. Go slowly and concentrate on form, where are your knees going? Are you engaging your core or is your back arched? (If you’re not sure about your form, ask your trainer to watch you!)
IF the pain is gone, you can keep going with the exercise as modified. Check in with trainer, either after the station, after the circuit or after the workout. Let them know what you experienced and how you are doing.
IF the pain persists, STOP and talk to your trainer IMMEDIATELY!
What can your trainer do?
First, we will assess the pain, is it something that can be helped with further stretching/ rolling? Your trainer can give you more specific rolls/ stretches to hit that specific area.
If you can continue with the rest of the workout without pain, your trainer will give you another exercise to replace the one that hurts.
If the pain is chronic, we will have you rest and get you some ice and ibuprofen. Your trainer may advise you to continue to ice, treat the pain over the next 24-48 hours before returning to your workouts.
If you are still not feeling better after 24-48 hours of rest, contact us! We can schedule a check in to reassess the injury or recommend a visit to a physical therapist.
Bottom line, exercise should not be painful! Don’t try to “muscle though” your workout because you don’t want to draw attention to yourself or distract your trainer.
If you’re not sure what to do, just ask your trainer. We are here to help.
