What can I do if an exercise is painful?

Please remember the advice we give is general and not meant to be used as a substitute for professional medical or health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you want specific advice then please seek help from your doctor or local physio.

If you are experiencing pain with a particular exercise in your workouts, rather than stopping altogether, it is often better to modify the exercise to make it tolerable. 

A good mantra to remember is: "Do something, rather than nothing!"

The video below explains the three easy principles to apply to any painful movement when trying to make it tolerable.

           SUMMARY

1. Reduce the weight that you are using.

2. Reduce the range of movement.

3. Vary the movement or find a similar alternative.

Remember to try one step at a time and work through the options until you find something that works.

This exercise modification guide is simple and can be applied to almost any movement, however if you need more specific help, check out our specific exercise modifications in the related articles below.