Ignorance is (not) Bliss!

Ignorance might normally mean bliss but when it comes to your body injuries or pain, it’s not. Ignoring an injury or a muscular pain is the worst thing one can do. Only to show up for a gym class because we have paid for it makes us ignore our body signals. We ignore the signs of muscular pain, tiredness, and further push ourselves to workout only to make things worse, further muscular damage, wear and tear, underperformance, no rest and therefore no recovery. When I ask my clients the reason for their below potential performance or dizziness the only reason I get to hear is “I am just a little tired today” and this I hear a little more than often. We all need a break from our daily routines and gym being a part of it can also be given a break. Yes, I say this in spite of being an instructor because I do not encourage Muscular damage or fatigue.

An injury or pain can be muscle related and that may restrict muscular mobility, movement, performance or flexibility. It can be related to the neck, the upper back, lower back, legs or even shoulders. A wrongly executed exercise, lack of or improper stretching routine post exercise, improper sleeping patterns, wrong footwear, stress, improper posture or even long working hours on the desk. Various such reasons can cause muscular strain and ignoring it and going for yet another strenuous workout further weakens the muscle and makes it injury prone. You rather take rest or make a trip to the doc than to the gym.

It’s completely ok and allowed to miss gym class, take a day off if you’re suffering from any such pain or tiredness. We miss gym class for a movie plan, dinner plan, for the sake of friends, then why not for your own body sake. You are no way being brave by showing up at the gym with pain or soreness. It’s only being foolish to ignore such signals because if not taken care in the initial stage it becomes even more difficult for it to heal and get rid of completely. Muscular stiffness / pain whatever you may call it, takes quite some time to heal but on the other side if not looked after it can very easily deteriorate further. It can lead to a tear which complicates conditions leading to no exercise at all. It’s always better to take a couple of days off from the gym, pamper yourself, go get a massage, rest, recover, and get back to routine rather than going on a total bed rest for a couple of months and return completely weak and out of shape. It’s just unfortunate as the process from here is lengthy and painful.

Apart from the muscular pain part there is one more factor that plays a very essential role in causing the body discomfort and fatigue, and that is Food. Improper eating habits can also lead to underperformance and weakness. Food is fuel to the body. Just like your car cannot run without fuel, your body cannot function without food. Dieting is one thing, starving is another. Eating right is extremely important not only after the workout but even BEFORE. We generally don’t give our pre-workout meals as much importance as it deserves and so most of the time we conveniently skip them. When you exercise you end up using most of your body fuel and so it is very important to refill rather, refuel. But none the less the body in the first place needs enough fuel to utilise and workout only then can it perform and make place for refill.

Look for the signs, recognise them and take it easy. No benefit is achieved by working out with a tired, painful, injured body as compared to a healthy, pain-free one. The "No pain, No gain" phrase does not apply here. So the next time you feel tired to go to the gym, give it a second thought.