No pain, no gain is a ridiculous lie.
What finally changed when I stopped normalizing pain
I always pushed through anyway because I was told… “No pain, no gain.”
Before unsubscribing from the “no pain, no gain” nonsense, I used to work out every day while:
Having tight hamstrings and stiff lower back was a regular thing.
Feeling a hurtful pinch in my hip was “normal” during heavy lunges.
I couldn’t even sit on the ground (let alone crossed-legged).
For nearly 10 years, I’ve also seen how this plays out in my clients’ lives and how often it creates more setbacks than progress.
No pain, no gain is a ridiculous lie.
This narrative trains us to ignore our body’s signals, disconnect from our instincts, and override our intuition. When we’re cut off from our bodies, we become easier to control, easier to sell to and more likely to blame ourselves instead of the system we’re living in.
Back in the days, I thought stretching could help... and it kind of did.
But nothing sustainably improved until I started doing inner work, joint mobility, and postural restoration practices.
I still strength train 3-5 times a week. What I no longer do is normalize pains and aches. I address them head-on, and I’m the strongest and most flexible I’ve ever been in my life at 38.
Today, I believe in foundational deep work and strength training with space for recovery.
Now, I practice and teach a training model that makes me and my clients better at doing human things: breathing, playing, running, sensing and moving first and foremost.
Because when we get better at doing human things, all the other things like:
Going on your favorite long hike without knee pain
Feeling strong lifting in the gym without the fear of back pain
Playing with your children freely without being afraid of your body’s limitations
Become easier, no matter your fitness goal.
Check out this 14-minute morning posture routine to build a stronger foundation and feel more human ↓
👁️ What has your body been trying to tell you?
The way we hold ourselves matters. Not just because of how it looks. But because it shapes how we live, how we relate, and what we’re capable of imagining. Let your body speak. Let it interrupt the collective war and offer you a new way of being entirely.
Start Your Unconditioning Path ↓
A 16-week journey that combines nervous system regulation, breathwork, and posture-focused strength training to address the root cause of your pain, not just symptoms.
What’s next?
Monthly Unconditioning Practice
Feb 27th. Friday. 3:30 pm GMT
This session helps you reconnect with your body's innate wisdom, move beyond what keeps you stuck, and rediscover who you are beneath the conditioning.
You'll follow the rhythm within and the pulse of the music to guide yourself back to the wild Self.
Each month, we gather for:
Nonlinear movement with music to shake off tension and emotional residue
Guided reflection to integrate what the month brought
Intentional planning to meet the next cycle grounded and resourced
Show up exactly as you are. Leave feeling more alive, grounded, and free.
What to bring:
Comfortable clothes
Plenty of space to move around
A pen and paper
Thank you for joining me on the path of unconditioning,
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Hedi Shah
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👁️ Mindfulness Teacher & Bodyworker
🐉 Nervous system regulation, breathwork, and posture-focused strength training to target the cause of what keeps you stuck and in pain, not just symptoms.
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