Rules are made to be broken right? Then why are there some fitness ‘rules’ that still feel like we have to follow them? The hype on the internet has created a monster out of a lot of fitness rules, some are still tried and true, but others… well it doesn’t have to be that serious all the time. Sure you should always make sure your body is nice and warmed up, yes you should be drinking plenty of water and certainly, your muscles do need replenishing but if you can’t consume protein within a 30-minute window doesn’t mean you have thrown all progress out the window. Here are a few more rules that don’t need to be taken so serious all of the time.
No Pain No Gain
Sure there is a time and a place to go into complete beast mode and give it your all. However, this does not mean you need to do this each and every time you workout. Your body could be telling you something and you shouldn’t ignore it just to stroke your ego or look better than the guy (or girl) next to you. Learn to listen to your body and know the difference between lactic acid type muscle burning and pain within your joints and bones.
This rule can also go hand in hand with ‘always give 110%’. Sure, give 110% when you can and your body feels up to it, but make sure you listen to your body to see if that is what best serves it that day. You will achieve results giving it 70% too–your efforts aren’t wasted.
Muscle Soreness After Workouts
Just because your muscles aren’t sore doesn’t mean you didn’t work them hard. Muscle soreness is not the true sign of change, growth, and intensity. More times than not, muscle soreness appears when you train your muscles a little differently or train a muscle that hasn’t been trained in a while. However, just because you aren’t sore doesn’t mean you didn’t put in the work. Your body knows the work you put it and doesn’t always tell you by giving you sore muscles. If you think you think you gave it your best effort, then your body thanks you for that.
Don’t Eat Right Before a Workout
This is also like saying “Wait 30 minutes after you eat to go swimming”… well, both of these are kind of bologna. In fact, some people need a little snack right before working out. They need that little spike in blood sugar or an assist in keeping their blood sugar level. In fact, eating a little bit before a workout can actually help in your recovery. The key here is to pay attention to what you should eat before you workout. Eating something too heavy can leave your stomach not too happy which you will feel the signs. Stick to something more slow-releasing that is a mix of carbs and protein.
