Anabolic Talks

The eternal question - you feel a little something during a set. How do you decide whether it's normal discomfort to push through or a real warning to stop? I've made both mistakes (stopped too early, and pushed when I shouldn't).

My rule of thumb: sharp, sudden, localised or one-sided pain = stop immediately. Dull, general muscular fatigue or a familiar 'working' burn = usually fine to continue. If something makes you instinctively wince or change your movement, that's your body voting to stop.

The 'change your movement' part is a good tell.

It is - if you're unconsciously altering your form to avoid a pain, the set's already compromised. Rack it and reassess.

When in doubt, end the set and test the movement light. If it's fine unloaded and with light weight, it was probably nothing. If it bites even light, you've got your answer - done for the day, and don't be a hero. One missed session beats six weeks off.

And reassess next session rather than 'training through it' day after day. Backing off for a session or two early is how small things stay small. Pushing through repeatedly is how a niggle becomes an injury.

Sharp/sudden/one-sided = stop, dull fatigue = okay, test light when unsure, back off early rather than hero through it. That's a clear framework. Thanks all - going to stop second-guessing and just respect the sharp stuff.