CT Know Pain Know Gain

[Ken Jakalski]

For many years I would spray paint "No Pain, No Gain" as runners would negotiate our Community Park Hill at our big cross country 40 team invitational. After years being on SomaSimple, I changed that to reflect the wisdom of so many great members here.
For the past several years, this is what runners now see as they ascend the hill.

[Jo Bowyer]

It's a good message Ken, it's over 11 years now since I really pushed myself in training or competed and I can't remember the lived experience. Even though I had worked as a physio at world class level, I found it difficult to tell the difference between pain and damage in my own bodymind. It was possible to have discussions with those competing at international level, but those with a chance of a medal would go for it, in the knowledge that their precarious place on the squad was dependent on results. We were much stricter with youngsters as they were still in development and had a future. Many of the sedentary adults I work with now are so deconditioned, they find it a great effort to go up more than one flight of stairs. Your students have a great opportunity to futureproof themselves.

[Ken Jakalski]

What I've learned over the years from SomaSimple members is that there is a difference between things that are complicated...and things that are complex. Heart surgery is complicated. Complex problems relative to pain are different because, as Todd Hargrove points out, expertise isn't necessary or sufficient for success.

[Jo Bowyer]

Heart surgery is very beautiful to watch, Decades ago, when I had responsibility for the physio side of a cardiothoracic intensive care unit, I went to theatre a couple of times. The rehab was quite difficult as my patients had become deconditioned, but they all worked very hard, it was wonderful to see the colour come back into their cheeks as they progressed. Complex problems related to pain are difficult, because there are so many misconceptions around it and patients often do the rounds trying to find the person who will fix them. No amount of expertise can fix someone who thinks that another can walk the path for them.

[Ken Jakalski]

Excellent point about the beauty of heart surgery. Certainly it is elegantly complicated, but what you do with rehab is the "complex part." Your last line says it all, and explains why rehab can be such a daunting task.

[Ken Jakalski]

I think Tim Anderson (author of The Becoming Bulletproof Project) would approve of my course signage. He notes that the notion of "no pain no gain" is one of the biggest training lies we must not believe. He refers to pain as "real hurt," and says it is different than being unconformable. "You can train through being uncomfortable," he says. "That is fine, but don't train though pain. Training through pain won't make you a superhero, but it can keep you from becoming one."

[Jo Bowyer]

"That is fine, but don't train though pain. Training through pain won't make you a superhero, but it can keep you from becoming one."

I work in the arts as well as sport, I can sympathize with those who are desperate to compete/perform because they don't want to miss being spotted or scouted. it is a very different for those who have an established reputation, they are quite blase about the understudy going on and express the hope that it might help their career.

[Ken Jakalski]

Author Logan Christopher (The Master Keys to Strength and Fitness) lists the following examples of what people may label pain. I’m sure you can come up with other interesting examples!
*The muscles burning
*The stress of a heavy load
*Pain in the joints
*A sharp pain
*The dull aching pain
*The “oh shit, something just snapped” kind of pain
*The I guess I’m going to live with this forever chronic type of pain so I might as well get used to it
*Pain from inflammation
*A random “I have no clue what that’s about” pain that appears out of nowhere
*The whole-body systemic feeling of “I can’t go on” like in a metabolic conditioning workout

[Jo Bowyer]

In my local area, which is now becoming increasingly urbanized, people would talk about having "the nadgers". This could also be extended to references to aversive situations, work mates and family.

"It don't half give me the nadgers!".

I love the expression! You get a sense of the grinding yet pulsatile nature of what is bothering them.

[Tom L.]

I have been away for quite some time, and reading this list of examples of comments hit home, and are all so true. I will just add a few thoughts.....
*The muscles burning - military training was to push until you couldn't go any more. Why? Know your limits, because others depend on you.
*The stress of a heavy load - basic physics.
*Pain in the joints - sometimes more is better, not always a reason to stop, but sometimes it is.
*A sharp pain - not always a bad thing, and this was my experience - after a tear of my proximal biceps tendon, push ups or bench press always hurt initially. More reps meant less pain, and eventually the pain escaped. Scar tissue looking for "friends" to hang out with?
*The dull aching pain - having an ice pack on my shoulder while drinking a beer after senior baseball (not softball).
*The “oh shit, something just snapped” kind of pain - I've been there....falling face first running to first base.
*The I guess I’m going to live with this forever chronic type of pain so I might as well get used to it
*Pain from inflammation
*A random “I have no clue what that’s about” pain that appears out of nowhere
*The whole-body systemic feeling of “I can’t go on” like in a metabolic conditioning workout - reminds me of hitting max on a treadmill as a research subject. Added to that training of max VO2 was sitting down immediately and smoking a cigarette....research protocol, not preference.

Looking forward to reading more here.