Ever had a tough day at work and hit the gym to blow off steam, only to tweak something and get sidelined for weeks? Most likely the stress had been creeping up in your body for some time. Compounding stress in the workplace and home with training is a recipe for injury and burnout.

The shadow side of the gym world is when we subscribe to the myth that every workout has to feel hard enough to punish you every single time. We don't often stop to think about whether the training for the day ahead is appropriate to how you feel. Has sleep been ok, or do you have a newborn in the house like some of us over here? Have you been eating, drinking, and fueling properly? Or are you having a rough time in your life and ignoring the signals to slow down?

The good news is that if you're facing a time of stress, you don't have to swap the dumbbells for donuts. You can still get an awesome workout hard enough to sweat out the stress - without damaging your body in the process. Give yourself permission to take a step back and use the power of regressions so you can live on to fight another day - and stay healthy for the long term. Simple changes like lowering intensity, changing the ratio of work to rest, or choosing movements that demand less of your brain and are more manageable on the body will get you a great workout and keep you sound in spirit.