To some people outside of the fitness world looking in, it might seem like a lot of trainers and coaches are spouting empty platitudes about the general process of getting into shape. But others see a lot of truth in these maxims. One of the simplest ones is: “No pain, no gain”. But what does that really mean?

The idea behind that simple four word slogan is something that you often find in the link between a trainer and a client. It's something that people pay for, so that they can change their lives and take control of their physical health. It's something that puts recreational fitness participants on the path toward their goals, and something that brings athletes toward stepping into that “winner's circle”.

Another way to think of this is in the idea of the word “zone”, which has become a kind of buzz word in a lot of places. What is a zone? It's a kind of theoretical place, somewhere that you “get to” through effort, or a state of mind. But the zone is not completely theoretical; it has its grounding in reality.

Part of the role of a trainer is to push an individual beyond their “comfort zone”. Beyond what is comfortable, there is another “zone”, and professional trainers know that what you find in this place is: progress. That's because the body adapt so well to challenges. It's just how we’re made. Stress a joint or muscle, and it will become stronger. Reach a maximum muscle threshold, and you'll build muscle. Raise your heart rate for a period of time, and your heart will rise to the challenge. On the other hand, bodies that are not challenged inevitably atrophy and wither away. This is most evident in old age, but it happens at any stage of life. We have a snappy label for this, too: it's called “being in shape”.

“I'm out of shape.” “I'm in terrible shape.”
What does this mean? It generally means you're not challenging your body, you're not going beyond the comfort zone. Maybe that's because there's nobody there to push you. Not all of us can be our own trainers, unfortunately, but most of us can do something to boost our own motivation by pushing ourselves to achieve. And many times, when your body starts to hurt, when your muscles get sore, when you get tired, you're starting to achieve something.

One of the big challenges for people without a personal trainer is to distinguish the pain of progress from the pain of an actual muscle injury. You don't want to push through injury related pain. That's not a good idea. But when you're used to pushing through the normal pains of challenging the body, that line can be blurred. On the other hand, if you always go incrementally toward a challenge, you can start to know your body, and recognize whether the pain you feel is injury related or not.

Whether or not you have a trainer, it's clear that those who are successful about fitness are all moving in the same direction: they are challenging themselves physically, they are challenging their pain thresholds, and they are always moving forward, not just resting on one incremental improvement. So if you want maximum fitness gains, apply this to your situation, and if you can't seem to convince yourself, take a look at hiring a professional trainer who will help you on your way towards the continual challenges that ultimately lead to success.