Remember the old saying, “No pain, no gain?” It was a really bad idea.

Exercise should never cause harm or unnecessary pain.

And you should feel better after your training session … not like you just got hit by a truck. Now, this is not to say you shouldn’t experience some discomfort or venture outside your comfort zone during your workouts. Of course, you should push yourself. Sure, you should maximize your time in the gym … because your time is valuable, and you want results.

Most educated trainers and fitness pros are now smart enough to understand that pushing through the pain only leads to more pain … and worse, injury.

Here are a few things that every one of your workouts should have, to keep you safe, healthy and pain-free at any age:

Warmups: This is the part of the workout that many people skip, but it’s honestly the last thing that should be neglected. Preparing your body for movement is the most important part of the workout. An effective warmup should encompass all the foundational movement patterns, increase the heart rate and tissue temperature, and prepare the central nervous system for the activities ahead. Step No. 1: Don’t skip the warmup.

Prehab: These are corrective exercises that strengthen often neglected muscle groups and promote soft tissue health in order to enhance the freedom of movement and prevent injury. The idea here is to spend a little time each session on prehab … so you can avoid weeks, or even months of rehab. 

Mobility: Stretching and mobility are not the same thing. Mobility exercises enhance the freedom of movement through the joints, whereas stretching involves muscle lengthening. Both improve flexibility. Is one better than the other? No; our bodies need both at any age.

Cooldown: Whereas the warmup involves more taxing movement, the cooldown is about calming the central nervous system, lowering the heart rate, and lengthening muscles through stretching (i.e. holding positions, moving through full rage of motions, and poses). Setting aside a few minutes to cool down after a workout signal to the body that it’s time to start the recovery process. A tough workout tears down muscle tissue; it’s during the rest and recovery between workouts when the rebuilding happens.

So don’t get caught up in the old mentality of “no pain, no gain.” Incorporate the above steps before, during and after your workouts and you’ll be well on the way to healthy, pain-free progress.

Resilience one lift at a time.

Ben...

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