What to do when exercise doesn’t feel right

Spread the love

You are a mean exercise, feels good … and then something adjusts.

Shoulders. The odd pinch in your hook. A move that suddenly feels Off.

You are now stuck at the time we were afraid of:

“Should I go through this … or stop?”

As a coach (and someone who used to ignore these signals too often), I can tell you – how you reply here makes all the differences.

Peel blind and risk return … or create one smart setting and move on.

Let’s talk about how to do others.

🚫 1. Do not push pain

Power training can be uncomfortable – that is normal. But the pain is different.

If discomfort gets worse as you warm up or increase weight, it is your sign to pull yourself back and go to the next step.

🔥 2. Re-evaluate the heating

If you feel those little “setting” while working, you must have these elements in heating!

General Light Activity (3-5 min to elevate heart rate)
1 to 3 sets for heating for your main strength exercises using easier weight that gradually gets a little more challenging. (For specifics, see our Free Guide Heating!).

If you skipped this, or chase through that, impermeability or discomfort could only be your body, “I’m not ready yet.”

📹 3. Check your technique

Take yourself or have someone else watching your form.

Sometimes discomfort comes from degrading the technique you don’t understand, it happens, especially as fatigue or weight.

Check out this guide About how to perform the main elevators for strength training like squats, dead and presses!

🧪 4. Try this fast settings

If you have heated up properly and your form looks decent, try this list:

Reduce weight – Does that reduce discomfort?

Adjust the angle – Change your grip, lever or cable adjustment

✅ Change the pace or range – slightly shorten the movement or slow down

If none of them works, it’s time to make a smart swap.

🔁 5. Replacement of the Movement Strategic

If he still feels, here’s how we think about replacing:

Find a similar (but different) form of movement → Bench press bothering you your shoulder? Try a slope or pressing a slope.
Target the same general muscles but use different movement → Latwown not working? Try your turn.
Total transfer groups of muscle → The upper body does not cooperate? Focus on your feet or core that day.

In other words: Don’t force it. Find an alternative nearby. And if nothing feels good, maybe it’s time to go home and get some extra vacation and recovery!

🧑🔬 6. Review the next day

Once things calm down, test the area with:

Controlled joint circles or drills to move
Lightweight corrective movements (Band work, activation drills)
Carefully re-introducing movements with low to zero cargo

You don’t try to “fix it” now. You collect feedback and give your body space to adjust.

🔹 Example of real life: Meet Vaughn

I want to tell you about one of my long-term clients, Vaughn.

Vaughn is one of the most beautiful guys I know – and one of the strongest!

But here’s what really stuck with me about Vaughn after working with him for years:

From time to time, something would feel only during exercise. His shape looked great. Nothing has changed. But he could say something was wrong.

So he did exactly what we just talked about:

Testy would warm it up
Try to withstand the weight
Reconsider how things feel

And if he still didn’t feel right?

He would say, “You know what, I’ll call him for today. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

And he was.

That ability to listen to his body without ego made it one of the tenthest people in the gym. Rarely injured. Continued to appear. And he stayed strong about it.

Vaughn taught me that knowing when he was distracted equally important Like you know when you’re pushing.

🧠 Closing thought

One of the best things you can do for long-term training?

Learn to listen to your body (without panic).

Not every tweak injury. But every sober deserves a little more investigation and attention.

And if you ever need help to understand what to stand, adjust, or focus, I am here to help!

– Coach Matt