How Hard Should I be Working?

How Hard Should I be Working? (Part 1 - Philosophy)

Practicing my front kickthrough!

I believe we all know where our challenge level lies. That place where we feel right on our edge - like we can still accomplish what we are doing, but it feels a little bit scary, a stretch to complete, but we can still do it.

That’s the place you want to be in most of your workouts. If you challenge yourself less than this, you are merely going through the paces - which sometimes is ok. It’s ok to take it easy and just have a relaxing run or spend some time lifting weights because it feels good. These are “recovery workouts” where you return to your comfort zone to refresh and restore. Conversely, if you push too hard, you run the risk of injuring yourself. I’ve done this numerous times - ignoring that little voice in my head that says “stop” because I want to reach a certain number of reps, or a certain speed, or worst of all, show off for someone! Next thing I know, I’m hurt. Again.

So how hard should you push? Exercise should be engaging. You are training your mind, body and soul as you move. You have the opportunity to form new neural pathways as you challenge yourself in different ways, creating opportunities for your body to continue to develop and for your movement to become more efficient. As you build your skills, things that used to feel difficult will start to feel effortless. That’s when you up the ante and try something new that challenges your edge.

Try to get the most from your workout - not by pushing past the point of pain or where your body wants to stop - but rather by training smart. Focus on your craft. Find your learning edge and push gently at it. Be consistent in your practice, changing the variables when things start to feel “easy,” learning from your mistakes and reinforcing your successes.