Thoughts from the Dance Floor: Why Does Exercise Feel Harder Some Days Than Others?
Have you ever had one of those days when you feel absolutely full of energy? You bounce out of bed, get on with everything you need to do, and when it comes to exercising, your body seems quite happy to cooperate. Everything feels comfortable, your movements flow, and you finish feeling rather pleased with yourself.
And then, perhaps only a few days later, you do exactly the same exercise and wonder what on earth has happened!
Your legs feel heavier, your balance isn't quite what it was, and movements that felt perfectly manageable last week suddenly seem to require considerably more effort.
Sound familiar?
It's something I've been thinking about recently, particularly during my Lift & Laugh® classes, where we spend time working on strength, mobility, coordination and balance.
One of the things I love about teaching these smaller classes is that we have the opportunity to chat about what we're doing and, more importantly, how it feels. It's not simply a case of following instructions and getting through a series of exercises. We're learning about our bodies as we go along, and sometimes those little discoveries can be quite surprising.
Take balance, for example.
We might be standing on one leg, concentrating on keeping ourselves steady, when someone notices that balancing on their right leg feels relatively easy, but when they switch to their left, it's a completely different story.
There's often a little wobbling, some laughter, and inevitably someone says, "Why can I do it on one side but not the other?"
It's a very good question, and one that opens up a much bigger conversation about how our bodies work.
Because the truth is, our bodies aren't perfectly symmetrical, they don't always behave predictably, and they certainly don't perform at exactly the same level every single day.
And that's perfectly normal.
Why Is One Side of Our Body Different from the Other?
Most of us have a dominant hand. We naturally reach for things, write, carry bags or perform everyday tasks using one side more than the other.
But our legs can have preferences too, although it's not always as straightforward as being right-footed or left-footed.
You might prefer kicking a ball with your right foot, for example, but find you're more comfortable balancing on your left leg. That's because one leg may be more practised at producing movement, while the other is more accustomed to providing stability.
Over the years, these little preferences, habits and movement patterns can contribute to differences in strength, flexibility and coordination.
Previous injuries can also play a part. Perhaps you twisted an ankle years ago, had a problem with your knee or spent some time favouring one leg while recovering from an injury. Even when the original problem has settled, you may have developed movement habits that continue long afterwards.
What's interesting is that we don't necessarily notice these differences during ordinary daily activities.
Walking around the supermarket, climbing the stairs or pottering around the house might not reveal very much. But ask someone to stand on one leg for twenty seconds, and suddenly those differences become much more obvious!
This is one of the reasons I enjoy including balance exercises in Lift & Laugh®. They help us become more aware of how our bodies are working, and they give us opportunities to practise skills that are important in everyday life.
Of course, a noticeable difference between sides isn't automatically something to worry about. Small variations are common, although a new or significant change, particularly if accompanied by weakness, dizziness or pain, is worth discussing with a healthcare professional.
The important thing is that we're paying attention.
Balance Is About Much More Than Strong Legs
When we talk about balance, we often think it's simply a question of having strong enough legs to keep us upright.But there's rather more going on behind the scenes.
Our balance depends on several systems working together. Our eyes provide information about where we are in relation to our surroundings. Our inner ears help us detect movement and changes in the position of our head. And our muscles and joints send information to the brain about where different parts of our body are positioned.
That last system is called proprioception, which is a rather technical word for something we use constantly without even thinking about it.
It's what allows you to touch your nose with your eyes closed, walk without watching every movement of your feet, or reach for a cup of tea without having to concentrate on the exact position of your arm.
Your brain is continually receiving information from all these systems, processing it and making tiny adjustments to keep you upright.
It's really quite remarkable when you think about it.
As we get older, some of these systems can become less efficient. Changes in vision, muscle strength, sensation and the way our nervous system processes information can all influence our balance.
But that doesn't mean we should simply accept that becoming unsteady is an inevitable part of ageing.
Balance is a skill, and like many skills, it can be practised and improved.
That's why we work on it regularly in class, sometimes using very simple movements that don't look particularly challenging until you actually try them!
And here's something else worth remembering. Your balance can vary depending on how tired you are, how much attention you're giving the exercise and even how confident you're feeling.
Which brings me to something I've noticed in all my classes.
Why On Some Days Does Exercise Feel Harder?
If you've been coming to Zumba, Zumba Gold or Lift & Laugh® for a while, you'll probably recognise this experience.
There are days when everything seems to fall into place. You remember the choreography, your feet seem to know exactly where they're going, and you finish the class feeling as though you could happily do another half an hour.
Then there are other days when the very same routines feel harder.
Perhaps your legs seem unusually heavy, you're struggling to concentrate on the steps, or you simply haven't got quite the same enthusiasm and energy.
It's tempting to assume that your fitness has somehow deteriorated overnight, but that's rarely the explanation.
Our physical performance is influenced by a whole collection of things happening both inside and outside our bodies.
Sleep is one of the biggest.
A poor night's sleep can affect concentration, reaction times, mood and our perception of how much effort something requires. You might be perfectly capable of completing an exercise, but it can feel considerably more demanding when you're tired.
Stress can have an effect too.
When we're dealing with a busy schedule, family responsibilities, worries or simply the general demands of everyday life, our bodies and minds are already working hard before we've even arrived at an exercise class.
And although exercise can be a wonderful way of managing stress, there may be days when we don't have quite as much energy available as we'd like.
Nutrition and hydration also matter. If you've skipped a meal, haven't eaten enough to support your activities or haven't had sufficient fluids, you may notice that your usual workout feels more difficult.
Then there's recovery.
We often think about exercise as the activity itself, but the time between sessions is important too. Our muscles and nervous system need opportunities to recover and adapt, particularly when we're doing strength-based exercises.
Sometimes we simply haven't recovered fully from what we've been doing over the previous few days.
And that's before we consider changes in hormones, medications, minor illnesses and all the other factors that can influence how we feel.
The point is that our bodies don't operate in isolation from the rest of our lives.
Everything is connected.
Does Ageing Make These Fluctuations More Noticeable?
I think it's fair to say that many of us become more aware of changes in our energy and recovery as we get older, and there are some genuine physiological reasons for this.
From midlife onwards, we can gradually lose muscle mass and strength if we're not doing enough to maintain them. This process is often referred to as sarcopenia, and it's one of the reasons resistance training becomes increasingly important as we age.
Changes in muscle function, sleep patterns and overall activity levels can also influence how we respond to exercise.
For women, menopause can add another layer to the picture.
Fluctuating and declining hormone levels may affect sleep, joint comfort, mood and energy, although everyone's experience is different. Some women notice significant changes, while others experience relatively few symptoms.
And of course, we don't all arrive at our fifties, sixties or seventies with the same health history, fitness levels or lifestyle.
Some people have been exercising regularly for decades. Others may be returning to activity after a long break, recovering from illness or discovering structured exercise for the very first time.
That's why I think it's so important not to compare ourselves too closely with other people.
Two people of exactly the same age can have very different abilities, just as the same person can have very different experiences from one day to the next.
But here's the encouraging part. Our bodies remain capable of adapting to exercise throughout life.
We can improve strength, practise balance, develop cardiovascular fitness and maintain mobility well into older age.
It might take a little more thought about recovery and progression, and we may need to make adjustments along the way, but there is absolutely no reason to assume that getting older means we should stop challenging ourselves.........Quite the opposite, in fact.
The Difference Between Challenging Yourself and Pushing Too Hard
This is something I think about a great deal as an instructor.
I want everyone who comes to my classes to feel that they've achieved something. Whether that's managing an extra repetition, feeling steadier during a balance exercise or getting through a Zumba Gold routine with a little more confidence, those small achievements really matter.
But I also want people to feel comfortable making adjustments when they need to.
There's a difference between an exercise being challenging because we're developing a skill or building strength, and something feeling wrong because we're experiencing pain, unusual fatigue or another symptom that needs attention.
Learning to recognise that difference is an important part of exercising safely and effectively.
During a Zumba Gold class, for example, someone might decide to make their movements a little smaller, reduce the intensity or take a short break.
That doesn't mean they've failed to complete the class.
It means they've made a sensible decision based on how they're feeling.
Likewise, during Lift & Laugh®, someone might need a little support while practising a balance exercise. Using a chair or a wall for stability doesn't take away the benefit of the movement. In fact, having that support can make it possible to practise more confidently and safely.
And sometimes, with a little repetition, the movement that initially felt rather wobbly begins to feel more comfortable......That's progress.
Not every session needs to be harder than the previous one, and not every exercise needs to be performed at maximum effort.
Consistency over time is far more important than trying to achieve a personal best every time we move.
What Can We Learn from Those Wobbly Moments?
Going back to our balance exercises, there's something rather lovely about the way people react when they discover that one side feels different from the other.
There's usually a bit of laughter, perhaps a surprised comment, and then everyone has another go.
Nobody expects perfection, and that's exactly how I like it.
We can acknowledge that something feels difficult without making a big issue of it.
We can practise, concentrate, make adjustments and see what happens.
And sometimes we discover that we're capable of more than we expected.
One of the things I particularly enjoy about teaching older adults is seeing how confidence develops alongside physical ability.
Someone who initially feels nervous about trying a new movement may gradually become more willing to challenge themselves.
They start to understand that a little wobble doesn't necessarily mean they're doing something wrong. It might simply mean their balance system is working hard to make adjustments.
Of course, we always want to practise balance safely, with something sturdy nearby for support when needed. Improving balance doesn't require putting ourselves at risk of falling.
But those small challenges can be valuable.
And I think there's a wider lesson here too.
We're not always going to feel equally strong, energetic or coordinated, and that's okay.
What matters is recognising how we feel, responding appropriately and continuing to give ourselves opportunities to move.
Why Consistency Matters More Than Perfection
One of the most common things I hear from people who are returning to exercise is that they want to wait until they feel fitter, stronger or more energetic before they begin.
But the trouble with waiting for the perfect moment is that it doesn't always arrive.
There will always be busy weeks, restless nights, family commitments and days when we'd rather stay at home with a cup of tea.
And I completely understand that feeling!
But regular movement is one of the things that can help us maintain our energy, strength and confidence in the first place.
The trick is to make exercise something that fits into our lives rather than something we feel we have to perform perfectly.
This is where group classes can be particularly helpful.
When you have a regular class in your diary, familiar faces to look forward to seeing and an instructor who understands that everyone has different abilities, it becomes much easier to build a routine.
You don't have to arrive feeling full of energy.
You don't have to get every movement right.
And you certainly don't have to keep up with the person standing next to you.
You simply need to work at a level that's appropriate for you on that particular day.
Sometimes you'll surprise yourself with how much you can do. Other times you'll take things a little more gently.
Both can be worthwhile.
There is, of course, a difference between ordinary fluctuations in energy and persistent or unexplained exhaustion. If exercise suddenly becomes much harder than usual, or you're experiencing symptoms such as chest discomfort, dizziness or unusual breathlessness, it's important not to dismiss them as simply getting older. Stop exercising and seek appropriate medical advice.
But for the everyday ups and downs that most of us experience, learning to be a little more flexible with our expectations can make exercise far more enjoyable.
Perhaps We Should Stop Expecting Our Bodies to Be the Same Every Day
The more time I spend teaching, the more I appreciate just how individual our experiences of movement really are.
Even within the same class, doing exactly the same exercises, people will be feeling very different things.
Some will be having a particularly energetic day. Others might be feeling tired, a little stiff or distracted by something happening in their lives.
And even within our own bodies, one side might feel stronger or steadier than the other.
None of this means that exercise isn't working, it simply reminds us that we're human.
Our bodies are constantly responding to what we do, how we live, how we rest and how we feel.
Perhaps instead of asking ourselves why we can't always perform at exactly the same level, we should become a little more curious about what our bodies are telling us.
Did we sleep well? Have we been particularly busy? Are we still recovering from something? Do we need a gentler session today, or are we feeling ready for a challenge?
These aren't excuses to avoid movement. They're useful questions that can help us make better decisions.
And sometimes, simply turning up and doing what we can is an achievement in itself.
A Final Thought from the Dance Floor
The next time you're in an exercise class and something feels unexpectedly difficult, try not to be too hard on yourself.
Perhaps your balance isn't quite as steady as it was last week, or your legs feel a little heavier during a familiar routine.
Rather than immediately assuming you're getting less fit, take a moment to consider what else might be going on.
And if you discover that one leg is much happier balancing than the other, well, you're certainly not alone!
One of the things I love most about our Lift & Laugh® sessions is that we can explore these little differences together, learn something about our bodies and have a good laugh along the way.
Because exercise isn't about achieving perfection.
It's about building strength, maintaining mobility, improving confidence and giving ourselves the best possible chance of continuing to enjoy an active, independent life.
Some days we'll feel fantastic. Other days we'll need to take things a little more gently.
And that's all part of the journey.
The important thing isn't how well we move on any particular day. It's that we keep finding ways to move.
Come and Move with Us!
If you'd like to build your strength, improve your balance or simply enjoy moving in a friendly and welcoming environment, I'd love to see you at one of my classes.
My Zumba & Zumba Gold classes are a fun, accessible way to enjoy dance-based exercise, while
Lift & Laugh® focuses on functional strength, balance, mobility and confidence in small, supportive groups.
There's no expectation to be perfect, and there's certainly no need to be fit before you start.
Just come along, move at your own pace and enjoy yourself.
Jo x
Zumba with Jo… Let's go!
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