The fitness industry is interesting for so many different reasons. It's a cornucopia of different personalities, training styles/methods, and ideas of what a good workout should be. Let me be clear in saying I do not believe that there is a be all, end all style of training. That would be like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. If you love going to spin class, then that's the best style of training for you. If you enjoy lifting weights, then by all means go and lift something heavy (with good form, please). But the thing that I take issue with in this industry (aside from Instagram fitness "Models," Weekend Warrior Trainers whose actual job is being an Accountant, and other such annoying trends these days), is the idea that a person should be sore after EVERY SINGLE WORKOUT.
That's about as far from the truth as it gets. Should you be sore from your workouts from time to time? Absolutely. Should your trainer be pushing you to your limits during every single one of your workouts? Absolutely not. Recovery is one of the most important components of constant improvement. If your trainer pushes you to the point where you can't move for three days afterwards, guess what? You just lost out on 3 days where you could've been either in active recovery, getting in other workouts, or essentially doing anything other than wince anytime you stand up from a chair or raise your arms higher than your waist.
And to go further with that, when I see people who come back from a new workout for the first time ever and actually brag about how sore they are for days afterwards, it makes me cringe at what the general public actually thinks about what it means to be productive in their workouts. When I have new clients, the first thing I do is assess where they're at. Have they worked out before? How recent? What modes of training are they used to? Then I run them through a workout that is by no means going to kill them (unless they are very advanced and can handle a more difficult workout), and see how their body reacts. I don't tell them to come back in 24 hours. I tell them to see how their body feels and we move forward from there. Essentially the first week of training with a new client is seeing what they can and can't handle. Whether it's due to movement pattern issues that need to be fixed, the fact that they are detrained, or if they don't have the mental strength to push themselves farther than a certain point. Assess, evaluate, and re-assess.
Don't be tricked into thinking you're not being productive because you weren't sore. Don't be tricked into the mentality of "no pain no gain." There's a reason most of the Physical Therapists I know have their offices within shouting distance of a CrossFit facility. Not that all CrossFit trainers are bad, just like not all Gold's Gym trainers are bad, but if we're being honest here, how many good ones have you seen? Could you recognize a truly knowledgable one? If so, can they use that knowledge in a practical sense?
It's tough for not only the general public, but even a lot of fitness enthusiasts to differentiate between a good training program and a bad one, as well as a good trainer and a bad one. Here's a quick checklist of what to look for:
1) Did they evaluate you via some form of Medical/Injury History or Movement Screening Check List?
2) Do you enjoy the mode of training you're doing? If not, switch it up!
3) Are you debilitatingly sore after every workout? If so, find a new trainer or workout program! Those days you can't move off the couch are wasted due to an overzealous workout program.
4) Do you get pain during or after working out? Note that there is a difference between soreness and pain. Soreness is okay, but when there's actual pain, you know something is not right with your body. If you have any sort of pain, ask your trainer what might have caused it and see if he/she can figure out the root of the problem. If it persists, head to a doctor to get evaluated. If you weren't in pain before your new workout regiment, and you're in pain now - well, let's just put 2 and 2 together there. Pain is not a good result of working out.
In summary, I'm not saying to find a trainer who won't push you to your limits, but they shouldn't push you there during every single workout. Find somebody who will learn to know your body just as good, if not better, than you know it. They should know your deficiencies and be attempting to correct them. They should know how to fix your bad movement patterns should you have any (most people don't realize they have them). And most importantly, they should be catering to your own personal goals in the best way they know how, not modifying your goals to fit their training style. It's a lot to look for, but you have to live in your body every day, so you may as well treat it the way it deserves to be treated. Cheers.
Eric Fish
B.S., CSCS
Strength Coach at The Way Human Performance Institute
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