Good and bad exercises
Why is feeling the burn in your abs a good thing, but feeling your back muscles working a bad thing? Why does it feel good when we target the glutes and feel them burn, yet we avoid working or feeling sensation in the upper traps, hip flexors and neck? They’re parts of the body that have bones, ligaments, tendons and muscles that all need strengthening too.
This blog post arose after some discussions had in group classes lately. People don’t like it when they feel any sensation in their back during an exercise. But if it is the strength and flexibility of the spine that we are targeting, then presumably we would feel it right? Though for some reason because it is our back or spine, people fear any kind of sensation! Our spines are not fragile, they are robust structures designed to carry heavy loads. In order to build and maintain strength in your back you need to load it and move it in lots of directions. Side note - Pilates happens to be great for this!
The same fear surrounds the neck during exercise. Have you ever avoided lifting your head during ab curl exercises because you feel your neck working? The neck IS working in an ab curl exercise, it is building strength right alongside your abs. You’re not doing the exercise wrong, or doing it with poor form. Your neck muscles are simply working to lift the weight of your head off the floor.
It is ok to feel sensations in areas such as your neck, back, hip flexors, upper traps. For so long we have been told to avoid working and feeling sensation in these areas. But think critically, too little load and exercise leaves the body weak and prone to injury. So how can strengthening a body part be bad for it?
Pain or sensation during exercise is ok, just keep it at a tolerable level. Build up your reps and sets gradually over time and use the 24 hour rule. If your symptoms are elevated for more than 24 hours after your workout, scale it right back. Reduce duration, intensity and load until symptoms settle then gradually build back up over time.
For more on this topic listen to the Pilates Elephants Podcast Number 5. Good and Bad Muscles
