5 Signs of a Good Workout (That Have Nothing to Do with Being Destroyed)

I was in a gym this morning and overheard a trainer bragging about how he pushed a client so hard she got sick.

I laughed to myself.

I remember doing the same thing twenty years ago. I used to think my job as a trainer was to work the body as hard as humanly possible. Like, really punish it.

I was wrong. Really wrong.

Destroying the body to the point you can’t move from soreness—or worse, end up vomiting—doesn’t mean you did something right. It just means you did something new, or something your body was wildly unprepared for.

Somewhere along the way, fitness culture sold us the lie that a “good” workout means leaving in a puddle of sweat, crawling out of the gym, or needing to lie down for 20 minutes. Fighting a war with our bodies might temporarily quiet the nagging “I’m not enough,” but it’s not a sign of effective training. At least not the kind that builds resilient, strong, capable bodies that last.

So—how do you actually know if your workout was worth it?

Here are 5 signs you just had a really good session—even if you didn’t cry, cramp, or collapse.

1. You Finished Feeling Better Than When You Started

You might feel tired, sure—but your joints feel open, your muscles more flexible, your breath steady, and your mind calmer than when you walked in.

A good workout puts gas in your tank—it doesn’t siphon it all out.

That’s not to say you don’t work hard. You do. But when you find that Goldilocks zone, you leave with this semi-euphoric sensation.

Pro Tip: You’ll be lucky if one in every four sessions feels like magic. Most likely, it’ll be one in five. Savor those. But the joints feeling open, the breath grounded, and the body moving well—that’s something to aim for every time.

2. You Did the Basics Well

Most people don’t need fancier exercises. They need to master the fundamentals—squatting, hinging, crawling, pressing, pulling, rotating, carrying—with control and intention.

If you showed up, moved well, didn’t rush, and focused on how things felt instead of chasing numbers or novelty—that’s real training. That’s how you build capacity and bulletproof your body.

Trust the process. Test your strength every few months, sure—but if you’re always testing and taxing, you leave no room to build.

Remember: intensity is more important than complexity.

3. You Had to Think

Not about taxes or errands. About your body.

Where’s my weight? What’s my breath doing? Am I using the right muscles? Could I go a little deeper? Am I defaulting to old patterns?

Was I pushing too hard—or not enough?

If your workout pulled you out of autopilot and into awareness, it did its job. That presence is a godsend. The more you connect to it in movement, the more likely you’ll feel it in daily life, too.

Training can—and should—be a moving meditation.

4. You Left With More Options Than You Came In With

Good movement training expands your range—of motion, of choices, of confidence.

Maybe a new position feels available for the first time. Maybe you feel more stable in a lunge. Maybe you finally “get” how to brace properly.

A good session doesn’t just work the body—it opens it up.

And the best part? The more you explore, the more options become available. It’s a feedback loop of discovery. That’s how you stay excited about the basics for years.

5. You Feel Invigorated the Next Day

If your training leaves you wrecked, it’s not sustainable.

A good session should stimulate, not annihilate.

Your not a pro athlete. You don’t have to train every day. But being active every day? That’s a privilege. A walk with friends, a bike ride, gardening, volunteering—whatever.

Your training should support your activities, not make you avoid them.

Final Thought

If you’re still measuring your workouts by soreness, sweat, or how hard you got crushed… you’re chasing the wrong trophies.

At Uptown, we train for progress, not punishment. For control, not chaos. For the long haul, not quick hits. A good session helps you move better, think clearer, and come back stronger.

Absolutely go all out every once in a while. Push it hard. End up gassed, sweating, and questioning life. Those sessions can be humbling, fun, and great markers for where to focus your training next.

But if that’s your norm, ask yourself: why am I demanding so much from my body, so often? What am I really chasing?