Pain During Strength Training: Green, Amber or Red? A Physio Explains - Ep 050

Should you train through pain, or stop? As a physiotherapist, I give you a simple traffic light framework (green, amber, red) to make the right call every time. Most people over 50 either quit too early or push through the wrong pain. In this episode, I break down how to tell the difference, including why some discomfort is not just acceptable, but necessary for building stronger joints and tendons. In this episode, you'll learn: The traffic light system for classifying pain during exercise (green, amber, and red) The 0–10 pain scale rule and what your score actually means The 3 most common mistakes people make when pain shows up in training The 50% rule: How to manage a flare-up without losing your progress Why stopping completely is often the worst thing you can do Whether you're dealing with an arthritic knee, an Achilles problem, or you're just not sure if what you're feeling is normal muscle soreness or something more serious, this episode gives you a practical, evidence-based framework you can use immediately. 🕐 Timestamps 00:00 Pain and Training Dilemma 00:48 Traffic Light Framework 00:55 Green Pain & DOMS Explained 01:28 Amber Pain — Why Discomfort Can Drive Adaptation 03:00 Red Pain — When to Stop Immediately 03:21 The First vs Last Rep Test 04:41 The Pain Scale Rule & the 24-Hour Check 06:10 The 3 Most Common Mistakes 08:23 Flare-Ups & the 50% Rule 09:11 Regressions & Exercise Options 09:39 Resources & Wrap Up Shownotes: For the full show notes page, go to: https://nevertoooldtolift.com/podcast050/ 📖 Free eBook — Strength Training for the Over 50s: nevertoooldtolift.com/ebook ❓ Got a question about training with pain? Drop it in the comments and I'll answer it on the live Q&A — Wednesday 6th May.