# Why Workout Pain Is Good Train to tolerate pain and you'll become a better athlete.



## Big Don (Apr 28, 2013)

*Why Workout Pain Is Good*

                                              By Laird Hamilton                                                   Apr 2012 Mens Journal EXCERPT:                                                           Train to tolerate pain and you'll become a better athlete.


                               The reason the saying "No pain, no gain" is so common is  because it's true: If you never feel discomfort when you exercise,  you're not getting all the benefits. What separates great athletes from  mediocre ones isn't only talent and training &#8211; it's also how well they  can handle discomfort.
 When I've helped out-of-shape friends get back into shape, the first  thing we do is get them more accustomed to struggle. You train hard,  which is uncomfortable, and then you get sore &#8211; and then you're  uncomfortable because you're sore. But you have to keep going. Think  about it this way: You acclimate to the pain in order to experience less  of it. As you get stronger, you reach higher levels, and so you feel  less sore.
 Of course, there are also times when you shouldn't work though the  pain. Smart athletes know there's a difference between the agony of  being hurt and the agony that makes you stronger, faster, and better.  The pain of an injury, unless you're masking it with ibuprofen or other  drugs, is usually pretty identifiable compared with the pain of sore  muscles. Cultivating a relationship with discomfort will help you  discern the difference between good pain and bad.
 You already know that you're going to hurt during a long ride or hard  workout, when you crash in big waves or even when you're stretching  through tight muscles in a yoga class. You have to ask yourself, "What  can I bear?"
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