Oh Good: Stress Might Cancel Out Your Workout, PT Says

When fitness company Welltech looked at the Google search terms active people were looking up in the UK, they found some seriously frustrated results. 

Exercise enthusiasts were left wondering why they weren’t seeing results from their workouts and why they felt exhausted after a sweaty session, according to their data. 

But personal trainer David J. Sautter thinks he might have an answer to some of those common frustrations. 

“Training isn’t just about muscles. It’s about your nervous system,” the expert said. 

“Pushing through a high-intensity workout when you’re emotionally drained can backfire.”

How can stress harm your workouts? 

Sautter shared that, “Consistent, high stress has been proven to elevate cortisol, which is one of the body’s primary fight-or-flight hormones.

“This will disrupt sleep, hinder muscle repair, and blunt your progress. High stress can also lead to performance plateaus, persistent injuries, or even muscle breakdown.” 

A 2014 paper found that stress affected muscle recovery for a 96-hour period after intense resistance exercise.

And the muscle tension associated with chronic stress might make you more prone to strains and sprains, too.

Then, there’s the mental element to consider. 

“If you keep forcing yourself to perform workouts you don’t enjoy, then you’re setting yourself up to mentally associate exercise with feeling terrible, and you will eventually lose all motivation to work out because your body and brain connect exercise with these negative feelings,” Sautter said. 

Not exactly a recipe for success in the gym. 

How can I face less stress during workouts?

“Low-intensity exercise can be extremely beneficial when stress levels are high,” Sautter said.

“This type of activity can boost circulation, stimulate lymphatic drainage, and activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Some great options include zone two cardio, Tai Chi, yoga, swimming, Pilates, dance, or gentle cycling.” 

And if you’re really seeking some low-stress movement, you might want to try zone zero workouts.

Lastly, Sautter ended, “When talking about recovery techniques, I always recommend breathwork.

“Breathwork is free, fast, and incredibly effective in shifting the body out of fight-or-flight mode. Just five minutes of nasal or box breathing (five seconds in, five-second hold, five seconds out, five-second hold) post-workout can accelerate recovery, improve sleep, and calm the mind.”