The principle that worthwhile achievements require effort, sacrifice, or enduring hardship.
While the concept dates back centuries, this exact phrasing became popular in the 1980s fitness culture, particularly through Jane Fonda's workout videos. The idea itself traces to ancient sources, including the Latin 'sine poena nulla palma' (no pain, no palm/victory) and appears in various forms in religious and philosophical texts.
This phrase has become so embedded in fitness culture that it's sometimes criticized by modern trainers who emphasize that productive exercise shouldn't involve actual pain. The original meaning was more about perseverance through difficulty rather than literal physical pain, making it applicable to everything from learning languages to building relationships.
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