Every time I hear the words "no pain, no gain." it makes me cringe from head to toe!! I hate it, absolutely hate it!! Why would making something painful be a benefit to someone? I have strong beliefs that your exercise classes, sessions and programmes should be challenging and make you work to progress to be better but in no way shape or form should be PAINFUL!!!!

I always remember attending a toning class years ago, and the instructors made us do 50 - 100 reps of everything. I think to myself now "why did I go?" Not only was I bored senseless, it was sore by the time I got to the 20th rep of everything and did I really get any benefit from it??? NO!!

DOING ONE RIGHT IS BETTER THAN DOING TWENTY WRONG AND INJURING YOURSELF... oh yes!! I could tell a class to do 100 dead legs, or burpees, and if they got the wrong technique on all of them then there is absolute no health or physical benefits to doing them. Everything you do in a class or a session should be a benefit to your life. Whether it be cardio sessions to help the heart develop or toning sessions to increase muscle and decrease fat levels or Pilates to increase movements to help you function day to day.... it does not matter what it is, but making sure you do it and do it right to get the most from it is really what matters!!

So what do you need to for yourself in a class when you take part:

1.       First of all take it at your own pace. No class should be a race.

2.       If you don't understand, ask your instructor!! I know it's hard when you are in a room of 30 people you don't know to ask to see something again or ask a question but they are all probably thinking the same in their head to!! So just ask and remember that is what your instructor is paid for!!

3.       Most classes now a day should have levels or lower/ higher options to get the most from your workout. If that is not happening in your class - ask for it!!

4.       If it is painful, and it does not feel good!! STOP and let your instructor know!! No point injuring yourself.

5.      Your body is your responsibility so try to understand your body and educate yourself.  A great way to do this is through classes like Pilates where you take a step back to understand and really relate to what you are doing.

I hope this is helpful. remember your muscles have to be trained to be developed, but this could be simply waking that muscle up so it works better for you on a day to day basis, and that might only take one exercise to do that rather than repeating it a 100 times!!

Listen to your body, be aware to what it is telling you and never feel bad for asking. So remember for next time, ask yourself next time - "is this pain giving me any gain???" 

Have a lovely weekend

Sarah xxx