Should You Train When You’re Tired or Sore?
It’s a common question we hear at Riverside:
“I’m feeling tired and sore — should I still train today?”
The answer isn’t always black and white. It depends on what kind of tired you are, how sore you feel, and what your goals are.
Let’s break it down 👇
✅ 1. Are You Tired or Just Unmotivated?
There’s a big difference between being physically exhausted and just not feeling it.
If you’re mentally tired from work, parenting or poor sleep, a good session might actually boost your energy.
But if your body feels drained and your performance is consistently dipping, it could be a sign you need rest.
Rule of thumb: If you’re always tired before a session but feel great after — you’re probably fine to train.
✅ 2. What Kind of Soreness Are You Feeling?
Soreness is part of training, but not all soreness is the same.
Mild soreness (you feel it but can still move well)? Crack on — training through it helps circulation and recovery.
Sharp or deep soreness, especially in joints or tendons? That’s your body waving a red flag. Time to rest or adjust.
We often tweak sessions for clients based on how they feel that day — that’s what good coaching is for.
✅ 3. Adapt, Don’t Abort
You don’t always have to go all in — some of our best sessions come from adapting on the fly:
Low energy? Do mobility and core work.
Sore legs? Focus on upper body or lighter movement.
Feeling rough? Come in and stretch, chat, and move a little — the consistency matters more than the intensity.
✅ 4. Listen to Your Body (But Don’t Let It Lie to You)
Sometimes your body needs rest.
Other times, it just wants comfort.
Learning the difference is a skill — and the more you train, the better you’ll get at reading the signals.
If in doubt, we tell our members: show up and decide once you’re here.
We’ll guide you from there.
💬 Need Help Finding the Balance?
At Riverside Fitness House, we coach real people — busy, stressed, tired, and sore people who still want to feel better in their bodies.
If you want support that’s flexible, personalised and grounded in real life, book a free intro.
We’ll build a plan that works for you.
