Don't hide anything from your trainer...EVER!!!

I recently had a client "fess up" to me that he has been experiencing severe pain in his ankles and feet - sometimes to the point that he is unable to walk normally. Turns out he has been hiding this from me for over three weeks! All the while I have been pushing him to run, jump and do other strenuous exercises that have been exasperating the injury. Had I known, I could have treated the mild tendinitis, taken it easy on him for a week or two, and then he could have jumped back in. Instead, he has been struggling painfully through the workouts and now he is curbed from anything that would put even the slightest strain on his feet or ankles.

When someone is new to fitness they often feels aches and pains that they have never experienced before. Most times these are common muscle aches and fatigue associated with new exercises....but sometimes the pains need to be addressed with your trainer or other professional. How do you know? Well, lets see...if you are having trouble walking due to pain in your feet, ankles or knees then this needs to be addressed. If you feel the pain is in a joint rather than a muscle - this needs to be addressed. And don't think that a small injury is going to curb your progress for long - but if you try to ignore the pain and think "oh, it will just go away", then you are going to be on the sidelines for much longer! Don't try to hide it, you WILL pay for it!!!!