Last night I was at the gym, getting a quick workout in before hitting the sauna.

My workout consisted of hanging from a chin-up bar with my feet flexed, followed by a handstand hold, followed by some twisting squats and topped off with 12 minutes on a vertical rowing machine with five sprints thrown in for good treasure.

In between sets I overheard two younger men conversing. One was pissing and moaning and complaining about how crappy his workout was going. “This is the worst workout of my life,” he whined.

His friend didn’t comment. He just sat there and looked around for something else to focus on.

Smart move. There’s no point in listening to someone in the gym complaining about how weak he feels. If a workout is that bad, go home. Get some rest. Your body is attempting to tell you something. Why not listen?

Some workouts start out poorly. You feel as though you have no energy, no pop. But after you start moving, the blood begins to boil, endorphins kick in and you start feeling good. At times these workouts end up being your best ever.

If, however, you’ve been training for 15, 30, 45 minutes and you “ain’t got it,” then be the bigger man and go home. True, sometimes it takes more balls to recognize that the workout you’re doing isn’t moving the needle, and you’re more in need of a break than another set or rep.

After a rest, you will almost always come back stronger. You’ll want to be training. You’ll want to be engaged. Your enthusiasm for being there will make your workout the ass-kicker you want it to be.

As for tonight, I’ll be training at home, doing a different routine. No need to go to the gym when your own body is a gym onto itself.

Matt Furey