Mind vs. Body

I've been there, we all have. Not sure if we can get through another repetition of an exercise, the mind says yes and the body says no. So, who should win?

It is to your advantage to defeat doubt, fear and insecurity. This is something that comes by building confidence one task at a time. Whether it's a repetition at the gym or cooking a meal, the more experience you have in motion, the more confident you will be of your skills.

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage." - Dale Carnegie

Focusing on the fitness aspect of this truth we can break it down very easily. Pushing yourself during exercise may get you some muscle soreness, but the risk of injury is almost nonexistent when proper form and technique is used upon a normally functioning body. If the natural motions of the human body are respected, injuries simply do not occur. When an exercise is properly implemented they can even promote healing on any preexisting issues one may have.

Keep in mind, that there is a drastic difference between pain and injury when it comes to exercise stimuli. Like I stated before, people get injured when proper form is not observed. Even though bad form has been made a popular trend by fitness' latest flavor of the month, don't believe the hype. Good form is the most important aspect of any given exercise. This is a non negotiable aspect of exercise physiology and poor form causes many people who's heart and mind are in the right place to fail miserably.

If we wish to get technical about what is happening while our muscles are stinging. The burning we feel is lactic acid and it's the bodies way to ensure the ligaments, tendons and muscles do not injure themselves. Lactic acid will build until the muscle can no longer function and hence the movement will cease. If you rest for a moment the lactic acid clears and the muscle goes back to functioning. This type of muscle usage causes a tear in the fibers and forces the muscle to adapt via healing. While the direction of this adaptation is going to vary depending upon stimulus, it does not change the fact that this will undoubtedly cause change. Knowing how the muscle will react to each stimulus is important and it may take some time for the novice to become acquainted. That is why I am an advocate of getting some help from your friendly neighborhood health and fitness expert.

Sincerely,
Your friendly neighborhood health and fitness expert.

-Trainer Joe :)