Buzz
Intense workouts often come with bragging rights: can you believe you survived that? But you can still break a sweat without engaging in anything labeled 'high intensity' or led by a ruthless coach. It's okay for a workout to feel challenging, but not torturous.
Moderate workouts can be trickier to find. High-intensity classes seem to be on the rise: from power yoga to sweat-until-you-drop Crossfit, to interval training with leaderboards designed to fuel competition. Ironically, we tend to choose classes over solo workouts because classes are more straightforward: just follow the instructor’s lead without needing to think.
If you love these intense workouts, great! But if you find it difficult to motivate yourself to go to class—or if you create tough workouts for yourself but back out once you hit the gym—give yourself permission to include more manageable, lower-intensity options in your routine.
Here are a few ways to make your workouts more enjoyable and avoid feeling like you're on the verge of collapse:
Think about what kinds of exercises you truly enjoy. Incorporate more of those into your routine. For instance, if being part of a team excites you, explore sports you can join. If cycling brings you joy, don’t stress about not pushing yourself to the limit on every incline. Engage in activities that make you happy.
Be cautious of coaches who push you beyond your limits. Anyone who treats exercise as punishment, like Colleen Stinchcombe notes about one of her instructors, may understand discipline but not how to foster a healthy workout. Similarly, be wary of instructors who insist on sticking strictly to the workout plan, even if it doesn’t align with your fitness level or needs.
Trust your body. If you experience pain or extreme exhaustion, slow down. If you anticipate being too sore the next day, it’s okay to take a breather or let your coach know: ‘I’m fine with this number of reps, thanks.’ Set clear boundaries with any injuries you have, whether recent or old. If overhead movements irritate your shoulder, feel free to say 'no thanks' and skip those exercises.
Don’t fret about missing out on fitness gains. High-intensity intervals may shorten your workout time compared to steady-state cardio, but steady-state exercise still works. Your body has its limits. If you’re exhausting yourself with intervals, only to rest before the next round, you might end up achieving the same results as someone doing steady-paced jogging the entire time.
That said, interval and steady-state workouts aren’t the same—they’re different—but in the grand scheme, the benefits are comparable. Both will build your strength and enhance your aerobic endurance. And both are far better than skipping your workout because you’re dreading it.
