Exercise Tolerance

At my last session with Louise*, we took three time outs to calm her nervous system. When exercise gets more intense, Louise's system tends to put out pain and nausea signals --especially with core work.

She is under medical care and has been working with me for several months, so we both know she is not really in danger, but I always suggest we pause and break and talk until she feels like she is ready to begin again. No pushing through the pain, no sucking up the nausea. We pause.

If she wants to stop the session, we can do that, but typically we stay in session. We sit, I lead her through some breathing. I talk about random distracting but infinity interesting things (lol) and monitor her, and when she is ready, we get busy again.

I've been thinking about today's session, though, not because of the number of times she had to pause, but because of how quick her recovery was each time. We did indeed get through that workout. A few less sets, but she freakin' did it!

When I started working with Louise, if an exercise triggered nausea or discomfort, we would talk the rest of the session. Sometimes she would try to restart and immediately have to rest again. But, today the rests were short. She was able to recenter and calm and do more, and THAT is awesome progress!

In the fitness world, being able to exercise longer and/or harder is called "exercise tolerance." This is where phrases like, "move through the pain," "no pain no gain," or "be stronger than your excuses" come from....and, over time, yes, most people will build tolerance. But, such an approach is also incredibly alienating, belittling, and is why many people leave fitness.

What I am practicing with Louise also works on "exercise tolerance," but from a trauma-informed perspective in which Louise learns what her "window of tolerance" is and then learns how to widen it over time.

It is not necessary to discuss sources of trauma to provide trauma-informed personal training. On the contrary, I do not ask clients to detail past traumatic events just for me, especially because I am not a therapist. I do not need to know the details, and I haven't asked Louise to share any personal information. Rather, I provide them the space to reconnect with how your body is feeling, and the framework to work with it.

Just about all people experience some "ick" when they start working out. Pain, cramps, nausea, rapid heart rate, difficulty catching your breath are actually quite common, especially if a person has been sedentary for a long time. Essentially, your body is registering the new movement as an "emergency" and sending out all sorts of signals for you to stop!

When someone is experiencing a traumatic event their body floods with adrenaline, heart and breathing rates increase, sweating increases, some people get nausea or pain or cramps. All these body reactions are normal in acute and complex traumas.

For someone with PTDS or CPTSD, exercise (or certain exercises) can feel exactly like trauma. Their body is not going to recognize that this "emergency" of bicep curls is not the same as prior troubles. It will send out all the "ick" signals.

Pushing through only teaches people how to ignore those "ick" feelings, but in exercise--especially strength training--the connection and attunement needs to be stronger. In order for an exercise to work "correctly," a client must be able to feel the target muscles turn on, coordinate their breathing, and other mind-body connections. I want my client to know what feelings are happening in their body, not learn to ignore them.

But, increasing a "window of tolerance" is slow. It cannot be forced because the whole point is the person needs to now be in charge of their "window" (we're just going to stick with the window metaphor). In the past, that window has been shoved open by others. They did not have control, so it is sealed shut. But, with a trauma-informed approach, the client can practice slightly "opening" that window and snapping it shut with full control. Over time, the window because easier to open and stay open.

Louise's exercise tolerance has increased, not be pushing through, but by listening.

*Names and details changed.