There is a common belief among many people who exercise – whether yoga, weightlifting, running, cycling, etc . . . . – that there should be pain involved, particularly when it is a “strong practice”, or a “hard workout”. If the pain doesn’t exist, the following questions do  . . . . Was anything done? Was anything accomplished? Was progress made?

A participant in the most recent I Love Anatomy Online program sums it up this way:

I’ve been practicing all {your} principles + after doing a 60 -90 minute practices all week + moving w/ease + breath, I feel like I’ve just been moving + breathing, I don’t feel like I’ve “practiced”. Prior to this course usually something is hurting, strained, overused, but I’ve interpreted it as “I’ve worked out”, it’s just so strange to go thru my day + night “pain free” …..that I feel like I haven’t “done” anything….so my brain is catching up with the novelty that I can do a strong practice + not feel pain. AND I am making progress in areas where I was weak /tight/both or lacked mobility. Hope you understand what I’m saying, it’s just plain weird to not have twinges, tension during or after “practice”. This is how it’s suppose to be….functionalsynergy….?

I also see this in clients who are visiting me for the first time who ask me, why they are in pain, and then go on to show me a “supine (on your back) hamstring stretch” type movement and they are gripping, bracing and bearing down because if they don’t they won’t get a stretch sensation – and isn’t that what is needed to get out of pain?

The answer is a very simple and straightforward “no”. Having a stretch sensation does not support you in getting out of pain, nor does it support you in improving your performance. In fact, it will likely add to your pain and will likely reverse performance.

What?! How can the glorious, yummy and juicy stretch sensation be so awful?

Let me be clear – it isn’t the stretch sensation that is awful, it is that many people are using it as an indicator for doing a yoga pose, movemnt or other exercise correctly. A stretch sensation is merely that – a stretch sensation. It doesn’t provide any indication that you are doing a yoga pose or other movement correctly.

Let’s go back to the “hamstring stretch” story above. People can wince, brace, grip, and overuse their pelvis and still get a stretch sensation – and they won’t be gaining a release – they will be gaining more tension, bracing, gripping and poor neuromuscular patterning. They won’t get out of the cycle they are in, they will continue to maintain it and likely make it worse.

So what is the bumper sticker in all of this? What is your actionable step? When you are practicing yoga, stretching or doing other movement, refrain from using the “stretch sensation” or even the “strength sensation” as your go-to for measuring how you are doing. Instead, focus on how you are moving, and reducing the compensations in your movement patterns. You will become more efficient and more free in movement and feel so much better.

Here is your success,

Susi