by Sifu
Markus Kahila

During a sauna evening with some friends the topic of fitness and exercise came up. One of my friends mentioned having started gym sessions after a break, adding: "You know training is good when you hurt".

This stuck in my mind.

Although the comment was made half-jokingly, it actually touches upon a very persisting myth among all physical training: Fitness equals health.

Now why wouldn't this be true? Aren't we offered regular exercise as one of the most common guidelines for personal health care, starting at elementary school?


Actually, being fit doesn't necessarily have a lot to do with good health. Ample examples can be found in the sports world: A professional athlete trained for peak performance may be extremely fit, but isn't free from illness or health problems. Looking at the health histories of different athletes, it is evident that bad health that goes hand in hand with top fitness is often more the norm rather than the exception - or, as the Finnish Olympic Committee puts it: "regardless of prevention, the illness and injuries are the everyday life of a top level athlete."

Recreational exercise is, of course, very different than training for breaking records. However, injuries, pain and muscle-skeletal problems are often common with both hobbyists as well as professionals, and ultimately both are as vulnerable to the same seasonal flus and other bouts of sickness. So why should one expect never having to go to a doctors appointment again just by taking up regular exercise?


Correctly done, regular exercise certainly has many benefits confirmed by numerous researches, with probably the most commonly mentioned being an aid in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. However, the key term here is "done correctly"; how many actually stops to consider how the exercise should be performed, and what is the direct effect of the how it's done?

For surprisingly many, "You know training is good when you hurt" is one of the undisputed wisdoms of physical tranining. It is equalled to conquering oneself, stretching limits, overcoming pain and experiencing the results. It's the same as "No Pain, No Gain"; the famous maxim, which people apply first as a hobby, then as a habit, then as a companion on the ride to physiotheraphy and sick leave, and then as a chaser for rehabilitation aiming back to the gym. It hands us on a silver platter the exact opposite results what physical exercise is supposed to give.

There is always a reason for pain, and contrary to the common belief in fitness training, pain is not our body telling us "thank you sir, may I have another?". It is our body telling us "now you should take it easy". It is baffling how often pain is misinterpeted, and how often this misinterpetation is marketed as a virtue.

Regular good exercise is a valuable thing that can give many benefits. Regular bad exercise is considerably worse for health than spending the time drinking beer on the couch. I'd like to present an alternative approach here:

"You know training is good when it's fun."

Whatever you do, when you exercise make it fun. Enjoy the outdoors, or if you prefer badminton or swimming, switch your sneakers for a racket or some trunks. Use the amount of time per session that feels comfortable. Train regularly, but don't punish yourself. A good sign of beneficial exercise is that you feel good, lively and energetic during and after.

Of course anything valuable takes some time and effort, but one should never aim for pain and discomfort - no matter what anybody tells you, pain in physical training has no intrinsic value.

Ultimately, the choice in how to exercise is up to the person doing it. After all, even a misguided sauna session can get you hospitalized.