A little ache here, some pain there – it’s a familiar feeling for fitness enthusiasts. But when is it time to simply stop?
After an unfortunate incident at a recent Hyrox event in Beijing in which a competitor soiled herself but continued competing – raising concerns over hygiene risks, shared equipment and athlete safety – the question is worth asking: at what point does perseverance stop being admirable and become a refusal to listen to what our bodies are telling us?
It is an extreme example and, for many of us, would seem like an obvious sign to stop. But on a less dramatic level, pushing our bodies beyond what they can comfortably handle is something many of us have probably done. You don't have to be an elite athlete to understand the mentality.
For most of this year, I had a nagging injury in my hand that caused pain through my wrist even during simple movements. A more sensible person would have gone to the doctor to figure out what was wrong. Instead, I decided to try to power through.
Eventually, it became so painful that even something as simple as scratching my back was difficult, and I finally had it checked. I was diagnosed with De Quervain's tenosynovitis, a condition involving inflammation of the tendon sheath on the thumb side of the wrist.
Even then, I didn't really stop. I started physiotherapy and somehow convinced myself that meant I could continue going to the gym. After all, I had a routine that kept me going and one that – despite the pain – I enjoyed. Surely things would get better?
They didn't. After months and months of physio, I decided to have surgery to relieve the pain, finally accepting that perhaps I should have listened to my body sooner.
It's a strange balance. We are constantly told about the importance of discipline when it comes to exercise: get your steps in, stick to your routine and don't skip the gym simply because you don't feel like going. For the most part, that's useful advice.
But sometimes it can become difficult to distinguish between making excuses and having a legitimate reason to stop. Rest can feel like laziness, and taking time away from exercise can feel as though you're undoing months of progress.
In my case, I was so determined to not upend my routine that I failed to question whether maintaining it was doing me any good.
It isn't only in the gym where people try to persevere, either. At work, signs of burnout are often ignored, as if there's some weakness in listening to your body or brain when they signal you need a break.
A 2025 report from Moodle found that 66 per cent of US workers have experienced some form of burnout. Brain fog, fatigue and muscle tension are among the common symptoms. Yet people tend to ignore these signs, believing what their bodies are telling them isn't serious enough to warrant taking a break.
Whether it's at work or in the gym, taking a break can feel like falling behind, particularly when everyone around us appears to be carrying on. We celebrate discipline, resilience and perseverance, but we don't talk enough about recognising when pushing through is no longer helping us.
There is, of course, value in pushing ourselves. Progress rarely comes from only doing what feels easy or comfortable, whether we're trying to run faster, lift heavier or simply get through a difficult day.
But knowing when to stop requires its own kind of discipline too.
My experience was nowhere near as extreme as what happened to Australian elite athlete Joanna Wietrzyk at Hyrox in Beijing, but the instinct behind it might feel more familiar than people would like to admit. My body spent months telling me something was wrong and, rather than listen, I kept finding ways to negotiate with it.
Sometimes pushing through is an achievement. Sometimes stopping is the smarter choice.
