Ask Copper Fit: Is “No Pain, No Gain” Actually Damaging Me?
It was the exercise mantra of the early 1980's for testosterone-laden muscle-bound monsters and aerobic workout maniacs. “No Pain, No Gain” or “Feel the Burn” could be heard throughout gyms everywhere, (like it was some kind of badge of honor) accompanied by primordial grunts, blood-curdling screams, along with some seriously salty language. But it's the year 2019 and we know better. We know that living with pain is downright awful and to suggest that you won't have any gain without it is beyond absurd.
Pain is a warning signal, it's your body's way of telling you that something is wrong, and you need to either slow down or shut it down all together. The old-school macho bs that told you to push through the pain, to push yourself beyond your physical limits was, well, pretty-damned stupid. Now, discomfort or achiness is one thing, lactic acid is forming in the muscles and you're tired and sore. But if you start to feel acute pain and you keep going, there might be some serious or even permanent damage taking place.
In an August 2014, Women's Health Magazine article entitled, “Why No Pain, No Gain is a Bad Idea”, Michael Boyle, owner of Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in Woburn, Massachusetts says, “Discomfort as a result of exercise should be limited to your working muscles alone. You need to gauge when and where pain occurs during an exercise. The reality is, you shouldn't have any discomfort except for muscle fatigue.”
Of course, warming up, proper stretching, and staying hydrated is a given, and with the recent popularity of technologically advanced compression sleeves, muscles and joints stay warm, and healthy. So, I hope I made things “painfully” clear, that No Pain, No Gain is a horribly flawed fallacy that will never hold true.
Copper Fit Pro Series™ Compression Sleeves – These copper infused compression garments are designed to give you the most comfortable, breathable, and consistent support for your joints and back, providing you with muscle and circulatory support. Many athletes and celebrities swear by their compression.