Region: US | Usage example: Keep going—you’ll feel the burn in your legs during the last set.

Feel the burn

Meaning

Experience the intensity of effort, especially while exercising.

Used in fitness to signal effective muscle engagement.

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Exercise sensation when muscles burn from exertion.

Popularized in aerobics classes in the 1980s.