Nance Fitness & Lifestyle

🚫 **Fitness Myth: If you aren’t sore, the workout didn’t work.**

A lot of people judge a workout by how sore they are the next day, I used to be one of those people. Training till failure will surely make me sore and mean more growth right?

Turns out soreness is not the goal, and it is not always proof that you had a better workout.

A systematic review and meta-analysis found that training all the way to muscular failure was not necessary to maximize muscle growth.

This matters because pushing yourself to the point where you can barely move usually creates more fatigue and can make it harder to stay consistent, and live life the next day.

And consistency is what actually gets results, and sometimes in order too stay consistent we must train to train again tomorrow.

Being sore usually just means your body experienced something new or more challenging than it is used to. It does not automatically mean the workout was more effective.

I would rather have someone complete three quality workouts every week than destroy themselves once and need several days to recover.

My goal is not to make people feel punished by exercise.

My goal is to help them move better, get stronger, feel more confident, and keep doing the things they enjoy.

You do not need to crawl out of the gym for your workout to count.

**Progress is not measured by how sore you are tomorrow. It is measured by what you are capable of months from now.**

📚 Research: A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing resistance training to failure versus stopping before failure found that reaching complete muscular failure was not required for muscle growth.

(AI was only used to help make the graphic!)

When people ask why I became a personal trainer, the answer is actually pretty simple.

Years ago, I was overweight, uncomfortable, and in pain. I felt sluggish, my confidence was at an all-time low, and I never really felt comfortable in my own skin.

Losing more than 60 pounds changed my life but what changed it even more was helping a friend do the same.

That’s when I realized this wasn’t just something I loved. It was something I was meant to do.

One thing I’ve learned is that there isn’t a magical workout or one perfect routine that works for everyone. Too many people are trying to follow someone else’s plan instead of building one that fits their own goals, body, and lifestyle.

To me, movement is medicine.

But if your movement is limited by pain, stiffness, or poor mobility, then the medicine can’t do its job.

That’s why I believe mobility is the gateway. When you move better, everything else becomes possible.

My goal has never been to hand people “cheat codes” or promise overnight results. Real change comes from consistency, patience, and having someone in your corner who genuinely cares.

I don’t just want people to lose weight or lift heavier.

I want them to become a better version of themselves.

My mission with Nance Fitness & Lifestyle is to help give people the map to their better selves.

If that’s a journey you’d like to start, I’d be honored to help.

🌐 nancefitlife.com

Zachary Nance | Exercise Scientist & Strength Coach Exercise scientist Zachary Nance builds evidence-based strength programs to help you move better and stay capable. Colorado Springs + online.