“No pain, no gain.” Seems like we have had this fitness mantra drilled into our heads since we were kids. While it is true that you can’t expect results without pushing hard, “pain” is never something you want to feel during exercise. Pain is a signal of injury. Pain is BAD!

 

To get the most benefit from strength training, you should push yourself to what I call “momentary muscular failure.” The feeling you can’t possibly perform another rep. The goal should be to push as hard as you can but not to the point of pain.

 

Even with this advice, for those of us who aren’t used to strength training, determining how hard to push yourself is still a challenge. Women, especially, often underestimate the amount of weight they can lift.¹ When our bodies aren’t used to tolerating the work, they actually have to be trained on a cellular level to push beyond the initial fatigue levels.

 

This is the beautiful thing about strength training on a Koko Smartrainer: You never have to gauge how much weight is “enough.”  The Smartrainer performs strength tests and determines what you can safely lift. Then, it constantly progresses you so your body builds strength and never hits a plateau.

 

So remember, avoid pain at all cost! It isn’t necessary and it isn’t good for you. Using the Koko Smartrainer, you are working hard, working smart and getting strong. No pain required! 

 

¹Brian C. Focht, “Perceived Exertion and Training Load During Self-Selected and Imposed-Intensity Resistance Exercise in Untrained Women,” The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2007, 21(1):183–187a.