"You Will Feel It Where You Are Supposed To" 💪...

The Moment That Sparked This Blog

During a recent strength and conditioning session, one of our coaches, Julia, was guiding a client through an exercise. The client asked, “Where am I supposed to feel this?” Julia’s response?

“You’ll feel it where you’re supposed to.”

It was short, simple, and spot-on. And it perfectly summed up something we see in the gym every single day.

Why Clients Ask “Where Should I Feel This?”

It’s a fair question. After all, when you’re doing a specific movement, it’s natural to want to know if you’re targeting the right muscle.

In training, we often have a primary goal for each exercise:

• Targeting a specific muscle group (e.g., glutes in a hip thrust)

• Improving a movement pattern (e.g., proper squat mechanics)

• Strengthening an area of weakness (e.g., scapular stabilizers for shoulder health)

But here’s the thing: sometimes, you don’t feel it exactly where we expect—at least, not right away.

The Weakest Link in the Chain

I often describe it like this: the weakest link in the chain is going to get your attention first.

When you perform a movement correctly—good form, proper alignment, controlled tempo—the intended muscles will do their job. But if there’s a weaker muscle along the way, that’s often the one you notice.

For example:

• During lunges, if your quads or glutes are strong but your hip stabilizers are weak, you might “feel it” more in the hip.

• During rows, if your mid-back is strong but your grip is weak, you might feel forearm fatigue before your lats.

This doesn’t mean you’re doing the exercise wrong. It just means we’ve identified an area we can make stronger.

Over Time, Things Change

The beauty of consistent, well-designed training is that weaknesses improve. As your body adapts, you’ll notice:

• The right muscles start to light up during the right movements

• You have fewer compensations

• You feel more balanced and in control

So yes—eventually, you’ll “feel it where you’re supposed to.” But that process takes time, patience, and progressive training.

The Takeaway for Your Training

Next time you wonder, “Where should I feel this?” remember:

• Focus on form first – If your technique is sound, the right muscles are working.

• Don’t chase the burn – Just because you don’t feel soreness or fatigue in a certain muscle doesn’t mean it’s not being trained.

• Trust the process – Weak links get stronger with consistent work.

At Whole Health Solutions, we’re not just here to get you through a workout—we’re here to help you move better, get stronger, and feel the difference where it matters most.