Why Workout Pain Is Good
By Laird Hamilton Apr 2012 Mens Journal EXCERPT: Train to tolerate pain and you'll become a better athlete.
The reason the saying "No pain, no gain" is so common is because it's true: If you never feel discomfort when you exercise, you're not getting all the benefits. What separates great athletes from mediocre ones isn't only talent and training – it's also how well they can handle discomfort.
When I've helped out-of-shape friends get back into shape, the first thing we do is get them more accustomed to struggle. You train hard, which is uncomfortable, and then you get sore – and then you're uncomfortable because you're sore. But you have to keep going. Think about it this way: You acclimate to the pain in order to experience less of it. As you get stronger, you reach higher levels, and so you feel less sore.
Of course, there are also times when you shouldn't work though the pain. Smart athletes know there's a difference between the agony of being hurt and the agony that makes you stronger, faster, and better. The pain of an injury, unless you're masking it with ibuprofen or other drugs, is usually pretty identifiable compared with the pain of sore muscles. Cultivating a relationship with discomfort will help you discern the difference between good pain and bad.
You already know that you're going to hurt during a long ride or hard workout, when you crash in big waves or even when you're stretching through tight muscles in a yoga class. You have to ask yourself, "What can I bear?"
END EXCERPT
By Laird Hamilton Apr 2012 Mens Journal EXCERPT: Train to tolerate pain and you'll become a better athlete.
The reason the saying "No pain, no gain" is so common is because it's true: If you never feel discomfort when you exercise, you're not getting all the benefits. What separates great athletes from mediocre ones isn't only talent and training – it's also how well they can handle discomfort.
When I've helped out-of-shape friends get back into shape, the first thing we do is get them more accustomed to struggle. You train hard, which is uncomfortable, and then you get sore – and then you're uncomfortable because you're sore. But you have to keep going. Think about it this way: You acclimate to the pain in order to experience less of it. As you get stronger, you reach higher levels, and so you feel less sore.
Of course, there are also times when you shouldn't work though the pain. Smart athletes know there's a difference between the agony of being hurt and the agony that makes you stronger, faster, and better. The pain of an injury, unless you're masking it with ibuprofen or other drugs, is usually pretty identifiable compared with the pain of sore muscles. Cultivating a relationship with discomfort will help you discern the difference between good pain and bad.
You already know that you're going to hurt during a long ride or hard workout, when you crash in big waves or even when you're stretching through tight muscles in a yoga class. You have to ask yourself, "What can I bear?"
END EXCERPT
