Many people believe that a burning sensation during exercise is a sign of an effective workout. However, physical therapist Shannon Ritchey, DPT, says this common belief can actually slow down fitness progress.
Ritchey, a Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Evlo Fitness, explained on the mindbodygreen podcast that muscle burn is one of the most misunderstood sensations in fitness. She said chasing that feeling does not necessarily lead to muscle growth or better results.
What the burn really is
The burning feeling during high-repetition sets or long holds is not a sign of muscle growth. It is a buildup of hydrogen ions in the muscle. This is a byproduct of metabolic stress when the muscle works under fatigue.
Ritchey explained that the burn is a chemical signal, not a growth signal. While metabolic stress can play a role in muscle growth, the burn itself does not build muscle. Muscle growth is driven by mechanical tension and how close a person gets to the point where they cannot complete another rep with good form.
Many people stop a set when it becomes uncomfortable rather than when the muscle is truly fatigued. The burning sensation often appears early, especially with lighter weights and higher repetitions. That does not mean the muscle has been stimulated enough to grow.
Why chasing the burn can hold you back
The fitness industry has long linked discomfort with results. Many workouts are designed to maximize burn, sweat, and exhaustion. Ritchey said this mindset can lead to inefficient training and burnout over time.
High-repetition, burn-heavy workouts often use lighter loads that do not provide enough mechanical tension to stimulate muscle growth. They can also cause excessive fatigue without a clear strength benefit, especially when done day after day.
This is one reason some people feel sore and frustrated despite working out consistently. The workouts feel hard, but they are not always productive.
What actually matters for muscle growth
Ritchey encourages people to ask a different question: Am I training close to failure? A person can build muscle with six reps or 30 reps, as long as the set brings them close to the point where another rep is not possible with good form. The key is not the burn but the effort required at the end of the set.
Strength training often looks less intense from the outside than it feels internally. The last few reps may not be fast or dramatic, but they demand focus, control, and strength. When training is structured this way, it becomes more efficient. A person does not need endless volume or constant soreness. They need intentional loading, adequate recovery, and enough effort to signal change.
How to apply this to workouts
Ritchey suggests choosing weights or resistance that make the final reps genuinely challenging, even if the movement does not burn right away. Focusing on form and control rather than rushing through reps is also important. People should pay attention to whether they are stopping due to fatigue or just because it feels uncomfortable. Allowing rest and recovery helps muscles adapt and grow.
Over time, this approach supports strength, resilience, and sustainability instead of constant exhaustion. The burn has been oversold as a sign of effectiveness. Muscle growth comes from intentional effort, smart loading, and recovery, not from chasing discomfort. When people stop equating pain with progress, workouts become less about punishment and more about purpose.
