When it comes to the obstacles that stand between you and your fitness goals, sometimes the biggest obstacle is what we tell ourselves about our training. And most of these thoughts are simply that – thoughts. There is no truth behind them.
But even though these thoughts lack credibility, getting hung up on training myths can keep you from making progress. Here are a few common training myths that might be holding you back and how to discredit them.
Myth #1: If you’re not super sore after a workout, you could’ve or should’ve worked harder.
Let’s get this out of the way: muscle soreness is not an indicator of effectiveness or effort. Yes, some tough workouts will cause soreness. But sometimes, you’ll finish up a really hard workout with minimal soreness. Don’t mistake the lack of soreness as a lack of effort. If you’re not sore, it’s more likely a sign that you’re consistent and well-trained.
Soreness is not the ruler you want to use to measure performance. If you’re always sore, it’s a sign that you’re not getting enough recovery time in between your workouts. Rather than building up your body, you’re headed in the opposite direction toward breakdown and burnout. But when you follow a well-designed training program, your body has a chance to progressively adapt to each workout. You train hard, recover, train hard, recover, and repeat.
Myth #2: The only way to get real results is to workout every single day.
How do we get stuck on this idea of working out every day? A lot of it comes from excitement over a new workout program or goal. You wake up one day and decide that you’re going to get fit and healthy (which is great!). But then your next thought is, “…and I’m going to work out every single day.”
Echoing the sentiment in training Myth #1, the best way to get results is to stick to a consistent, well-designed training program that includes recovery. Keep in mind that consistency is not the same thing as working out every day. Instead, it’s sticking to a regular routine that includes varying levels of intensity, as well as rest days.
Myth #3: If you don’t do the workout as RX, you’re cheating or getting less of a workout.
When you workout in a group, be careful not to compare yourself and your performance to others. Even if you’re not doing a workout as RX, it doesn’t mean that you’re cheating or not working as hard.
Workout scaling doesn’t exist to make you feel bad about modifying a workout. Instead, it allows you to customize a workout to fit your unique fitness level and experience.
To learn more about Rhapsody Fitness in Charleston and our range of programs, get in touch with Team Rhapsody today.
