Lets face it we live in a “more is better” kind of society whether we want to admit it or not.
And this is certainly true when it comes to fitness and exercise.
How many times have you heard “no pain, no gain”, or “go heavy or go home?”
But is this always sound advice?
Your Body Is a Slinky Not a Rocket Ship…
Have you ever seen a rocket blast into space? What about a slinky sliding down the stairs as your child watches in wonder?
Most of us train like a rocket. We find a workout on You Tube, or hire a trainer and then we blast off. Most weight, most training days and less rest.
But in reality our bodies are designed to train like a slinky. Up and then down, up and then down. Hard intensity followed by low intensity.
Here is a example of a typical training promgram:
Mon: Train hard
Tues: Train hard
Wed: Train hard
Thur: Train hard
Fri: Train hard
Sat: Train hard
Sun: Train hard
This kind of training program will lead to mental and physical burnout.
Alternatively what if you had a training program that looked a little bit like this:
Mon: Train hard
Tues: Train at 90% of intensity
Wed: Train hard
Thur: Train at 70% intensity
Friday: Rest
Sat: Train hard
Sun: Rest
See the difference there? This model will allow you to get into “active recovery” which means that you will be able to stay physically active all the while you are not burning out.
When Should You Take Time Off From Training?
Overtraining syndrome is a real thing among athletes and it can also affect you if you are overdoing your exercise regime. Check to see if you are experiencing of the following:
-Elevated heart rate upon arising first thing in the morning (this will require you to know your resting heart rate prior to going to sleep)
-Lack of motivation to train (mental burnout)
-Decreasing performance in the weight room or with any other mode of exercise
-Lack of physical recovery beyond what is normal (if you normally recover from a leg day in 3 days and now it takes you 5 etc)
-Sugar or carb cravings
-Easily irritated or agitated
-Trouble sleeping
-Heart arrythmias
-Muscle cramping
-Stress strains or fractures (more extreme but I thought I would list them for the hardcore among you)
In these cases you would want to take at least 1-2 weeks off of your exercise program to allow your body to reset entirely. This will NOT be easy if you are hardcore red personality so be advised and know that you will have to force yourself!
I hope this helps you to LISTEN to your body and make the RIGHT decision if your body is asking to you take it easy for a while…I promise you it will be worth it!
Please COMMENT and let me know what your plan is!
Life is Good!
P.S. If you would like help with your health and fitness lifestyle we offer amazing lifestyle coaching and Personal Training! Please learn more at: http://www.llfit.com