You need to make friends with pain!

No pain, no gain!
That’s what they say, right?

And it’s the truth. But sometimes there’s confusion over this. Sometimes people think it means all exercise must be painful, and let’s face it, that sounds like a real downer. Who wants to do something knowing it’s going to start off painful and only stay that way, or maybe get even more painful as time goes on. Really doesn’t sound too inviting, I have to agree. Hardly the thought that would encourage you to take a trip to the gym. Matter of fact, that’s probably one of the main reasons exercise gets such a bad press.

Then there are people who can’t tell the difference between different kinds of pain. If you’re doing something wrong (and with exercise, you’d be amazed how badly people can sometimes get it so-o-o wrong!) … if you’re making a real hash of the exercise it can become very painful, and sometimes very quickly. Now that’s pain you should avoid. Stop doing it right away and assess the situation. If you’ve really screwed up you might have damaged a shoulder joint, or an elbow joint or torn a muscle or something.

But, hey, I think we all (okay, most of us) know that kind of pain is a warning to stop whatever the hell you’re doing right now. Which leaves the other kind of pain. This is muscle pain, and this is the one you have to get used to. This isn’t going to hurt you (unless you count feeling a bit of pain very briefly as being hurt), and it has to be accepted if you want to see results.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was never afraid of pain

Arnold Schwarzenegger, who knows a thing or two about muscle building, got very pally with pain. He realised early on that it was a sign of muscle growth. He came to accept it, and in fact, to go in search of it. Every successful bodybuilder eventually comes to realise that it’s not just an inevitable part of training, but it’s the part you have to welcome with open arms, like a long-lost friend.

And it is a friend, so that metaphor isn’t so far-fetched. If it signals the fact that you’ve entered muscle-building territory, it most certainly is a friend! What’s happening is that your muscles are feeling strained to the utmost, and that’s painful. And the only thing the body can do to stop that pain recurring is to build that muscle even stronger than before. So that kind of pain really is to be welcomed. It signal new growth!

But it’s still painful! Make no mistake, no matter how long you’ve been training, pain is still pain. It doesn’t get any easier. But what happens is you become more resilient to it. You learn to cope a little better with it each time. It becomes less threatening. It’s still painful, sure, but it’s not so scary!

Everybody respects strength

And this is why building a strong physique is about more than just how you look. It’s about building strength … real strength. When you see someone with a strong physique you know, you just feel, that that person is truly strong, and not just in a physical sense. You can almost sense their inner fortitude. That’s why people tend to rely on strong looking individuals, and see them as natural leaders, and people to depend on in a crisis.

You see someone with broad shoulders and arms that are practically bursting the seams of their shirt sleeves and you know, deep down, that none of that happened by accident. That kind of visible power, that obvious physical presence can only be the result of long, hard training. And having the mental strength to stick to a course of action long after it starts to become painful. And that can only give you confidence that the person in question is someone to be admired and respected.

Don’t quit when the pain kicks in – that’s when the fun starts!

So stick with it when the pain kicks in. Don’t fold when the going gets tough. That first twinge of pain should be welcomed, and when it really kicks in it shouldn’t be shirked. Grit your teeth and tense everything you’ve got. This is what you’ve been working towards. This is just the start of shocking those muscles into a sudden spurt of growth. Stick with it as long as you can stand the pain, and flex those muscles as hard as you possibly can.

Sure, it’s gonna hurt. If you want an easy ride, take up a hobby like knitting or stamp collecting and steer well clear of lifting heavy things till it really hurts. This ‘hobby’ is for those who are prepared to deal with pain. This is for those who don’t like to back down. It’s for those who will not give in.

So … just who are you then?

Just who are you? Ask yourself this question once in a while. Are you someone who will quit when things get difficult? Are you weak and ready to give up when the going gets tough? Or are you made of sterner stuff. Bodybuilding has been called ‘the iron game’ over the years, and that name doesn’t refer to just the weights. The iron in that phrase refers to the iron will of the individual who will NOT quit when things get awkward or difficult … or painful.

So just ask yourself that question …
do you have iron in you?