“Your workout is our warm-up!”
“Grip it and rip it!”
“We don’t need machines; we are machines!”
We’ve all heard these kinds of quotes before, pushing the idea that workouts need to be intense, that you should leave it all on the floor, and that progress only comes from diving into the deep end of discomfort. I’ll admit, I’ve said these things myself, and I believed them at the time.
But the truth is, this mindset isn’t always necessary, and for many of us, it’s not what we need.
Exercise is a powerful tool with numerous benefits, but it’s important to remember that it also places stress on the body. If you’re already juggling a stressful job, family responsibilities, a relentless news cycle, and other life pressures, it’s okay to feel that an all-out workout isn’t what you need right now.
Just because the internet insists that every workout has to be intense doesn’t mean that anything less is a waste of time.
Even if you’re only putting in 50% of your usual effort, you’re still making a positive deposit in your fitness and well-being bank.
Sometimes, simply going through the warm-up and calling it a day is far better than doing nothing at all.
Over the years, I’ve advised people to take it easy when they’re feeling stressed. Often, they end up doing more than they planned, but even if they don’t, they’ve still put in the effort they could muster that day.
This is the key to long-term success: listening to your body and giving what you can, whether it’s a lot or a little.
By easing off when you need to, you’ll reduce the risk of burnout and find yourself consistently working out more often.
I’ve been exercising 3-5 days a week on average since I turned 15 in 1996 (yes, I’m that old!), and if I had gone all out in every session, I would’ve burned out years ago! There’s no way I could have stayed consistent.
Most of my workouts are at 80-85% effort. As I get fitter, my 80-85% keeps increasing. Sure, there are times when I push myself to the limit, but I usually save that for competitions.
Don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying we shouldn’t work hard. What I’m saying is that if you listen to your body, “working hard” will look different from session to session.
By not pushing yourself to the brink every time, you’re less likely to dread your workouts or skip them because you know how tough they’ll be.
In the end, consistency will always yield better results than burning out. So, give yourself permission to ease up when you need to!
