#ExerciseMyths

A growing body of research argues that pain after exercise is not a necessary sign of progress. While delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) often follows workouts, experts say it does not indicate better gains or optimal adaptation. This shift in thinking aligns with safer training practices and has clear implications for Thai athletes, students, and anyone pursuing healthier habits.

While gym culture has long linked effort with pain, researchers explain that discomfort can signal effort but is not a reliable measure of improvement. A leading voice from the University of Bath emphasizes that you may gain more with a touch of soreness, yet pain alone does not drive growth or health benefits. This nuanced view helps to separate effort from injury and to promote sustainable training patterns.

“Feel the burn” and “no pain, no gain” are common mantras in fitness circles, but new research is challenging the idea that muscle pain is a necessary marker of exercise progress. According to a recent feature published by The Guardian (theguardian.com), experts argue that while muscle discomfort—especially the delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS—often follows exercise, it is neither a prerequisite for gains nor always a sign of positive adaptation. This timely revelation aligns with growing global awareness around safe exercise practices and has direct implications for Thai fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and anyone embarking on a healthier lifestyle.

In a compelling new development that challenges popular notions of physical health, a Harvard University professor’s book asserts that humans may actually be evolutionarily built for sitting, rather than for long-distance running or relentless physical activity. This argument, summarized in a recent summary report, invites readers to reconsider ingrained beliefs—particularly the now-infamous comparison that “sitting is the new smoking”—and urges a reassessment of how we live, work, and exercise in modern society source.