Exercise Myth 02:
"Hey - no pain, no gain!"

This is definitely no good!
Pain is your body's way of telling you—yelling at you—that something's wrong. Listen to it. Certainly it's OK to push yourself a bit to tax your heart, lungs and muscles—to feel the burn—but be reasonable. Exercise doesn't have to hurt to be good for you. Exercising to the point of pain doesn't help, and it can definitely harm.

Don't be a hero. If it hurts—don't do it!
If you feel real pain during a workout, don't try to "push through it." Because, if you do, chances are there's a more serious injury waiting on the other side. Slow your workout down. If the pain persists, stop. If it continues, have your doctor or physio look at it.

Achey muscles don't count as 'pain'
There's no getting around the fact that muscles can feel sore after you work them hard, especially if you haven't exercised for some time. It's a temporary condition—not an injury. The ten-dollar name is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, or DOMS. Typically, you feel it the next day. It's not "pain," but it can be an uncomfortable distraction. Fortunately, it usually goes away after a few work-outs, and 5-minute post-workout warm-down and stretch will go a long way towards preventing it.