Many people approach fitness with the same assumption: If they just train harder, stay consistent and push through discomfort, results will follow. But for countless exercisers, effort isn’t the issue. Stress is.
Chronic stress keeps the nervous system stuck in a fight-or-flight state that quietly undermines physical progress before a workout even begins. Muscles stay locked in tension. Breathing becomes shallow. Recovery lags. Motivation wanes. And movement that should feel energizing starts to feel heavy and exhausting.
The solution isn’t pushing harder but learning how to regulate your physiology so your body can support — rather than sabotage — your fitness goals.
How stress affects your body before exercise begins
The nervous system regulates how your body responds to stress by constantly balancing two primary branches:
- The sympathetic aspect is responsible for the fight-or-flight response, increasing muscle tension, alertness and breathing rate when the body perceives threat.
- Parasympathetic supports recovery, allowing muscles to relax and systems such as breathing, digestion and recovery to function more efficiently.
In healthy conditions, the body moves fluidly between these two states. Under chronic stress, however, the nervous system remains biased toward fight-or-flight, even when no immediate danger is present.
Persistent sympathetic nervous system activation wreaks havoc on your ability to tolerate and adapt to stress — even the self-imposed “good” stress of your workouts. Being stuck in a state of fight-or-flight increases protective muscle tension, altering movement mechanics, limiting mobility, and increasing the likelihood of compensations that can lead to pain or injury.
Why pushing harder often makes it worse
Many people respond to stalled progress by adding greater intensity: more workouts, fewer rest days, higher effort. But overtraining a stressed system compounds the problem.
When your body doesn’t feel safe and recovered, it prioritizes protection over performance. Muscles get tighter, and pain sensitivity increases.
This is why two people can follow the same program yet have different outcomes. One body adapts and gets stronger. The other stalls and feels beaten down.
The difference isn’t discipline or toughness — it’s nervous system function.
Regulate first, then train
A regulated nervous system allows the body to access strength, mobility and coordination more efficiently. When the nervous system shifts into balance, muscles can relax when they should, engage when needed and recover more effectively.
Here are several strategies that do exactly that.
Use breathing to downshift reactivity
Your breathing is one of the quickest and most effective ways to influence nervous system state. Deep breaths with longer exhales activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping alleviate muscle tension and mitigate stress-driven reactivity.
Put it into practice: Set the tone for your nervous system at the start of your day by practicing conscious breathing before you even get out of bed. Take six long, slow breaths first thing in the morning to establish a calm baseline for the day.
Use intentional deep breathing throughout the day whenever you notice your breath becoming shallow or rushed. Even a 90-second breathing break can noticeably shift how your body feels and performs.
Choose mobility that signals safety, not strain
Mobility work isn’t just about increasing range of motion — it’s about reducing protective tension. Slow, controlled movements help signal safety to the nervous system, reducing protective guarding and improving movement confidence.
Put it into practice: Once or twice daily, do mobility exercises that focus on spine and rib cage movement, which are effective for stressed bodies. Try gentle twists, chest openers and side stretches. Avoid extreme stretchesthat can reactivate nervous system protection.
