A famous phrase in the fitness industry is “no pain, no gain.” While it is true that virtually all meaningful and worthwhile exercise routines will involve some “pain” (i.e. “effort,”) pain that persists while you are working out should be a natural warning sign to you to either cut back or stop your routine altogether.

As your muscles perform a challenging and effective workout on a regular basis, micro-tears, lactic acid, and other physiological changes will cause those muscles to become stronger than they were before you started working out, but also experience some soreness in doing so. This type of pain is usually considered “normal,” especially when you start a new exercise routine.

However, if you experience neck, back, or joint pain while performing this workout, you should consult a professional fitness expert to see if you are performing the exercise moves incorrectly, if you are trying to do too much too soon, or if you have some type of injury or medical condition you are not aware of.

Before doing any exercise routine, you should warm up your muscles and get them limber so they can safely perform the exercise movements you are about to execute. Strains and muscle rips are often due to the fact that one has not warmed up his/her muscles enough to perform the demanding routine he/she is expecting to perform.

Your warm-ups should last at least 15 minutes and should include activities like jogging or jumping jacks to get the cardio and lung systems working as well as possible. Slow, gradual stretches are also recommended, as this will help to lubricate your joints and relax and lengthen your muscles. Rushing into a strenuous workout without warming up long enough can lead to stretched and torn cartilage, which can take quite a while to heal.

Another important point to keep in mind is to not rush back to full workouts after you’ve sustained an injury – you need to work your way back slowly and build your endurance and strength back up to previous (or close to previous) levels. Physical therapy and exercise will sometimes require you to work through discomfort, but only to an extent where you push yourself to build your endurance and stamina, not where you’ll reinjure yourself.

Pushing yourself to a point where you’re likely to injure yourself is counter-productive to your goal of being in the best possible shape you can be in. Keep in mind that your ultimate goals for working out are to improve or maximize your health and your overall body tone and strength, not to prove you are “mentally tough.”

You should seek guidance from a professional fitness expert before you begin a new routine that involves exercise activities you are unfamiliar with, as incorrect technique is one of the leading causes of injury when you’re working out. This also includes using exercise equipment in gyms and health clubs; if you don’t know how to use something correctly, don’t be afraid to ask. It’s better to ask someone knowledgeable in using the machine than trying it out and risking injury to yourself before determining you’re not using the machine correctly.

When it comes to jogging, make sure you know the environment you’re running in. This includes the surfaces you’re running on, as you may be concentrating so much on your workout that you don’t notice the cracks and bumps on the sidewalk, leading to you falling and injuring yourself. Of course, you should always look out for other obstacles too, including people, walls, and cars. You should also be aware of slick spots that are caused by rain and/or ice as well.

You should expand your workout gradually; if you push it too hard too fast, you’ll likely injure yourself, which will help deter you from working out in the future, in fear of you injuring yourself again. Your best bet to staying injury-free and getting the most from your workouts are to build up your stamina and endurance slowly, but surely.

By exercising some common sense, not only will your body get a great workout, but you’ll likely avoid injury and enjoy your workout that much more.

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