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Rest & Recovery that is. I’ve talked about this before in the past and I’m going to talk about it again today. I can’t stress enough, how important this factor is for any athlete and how often it’s overlooked. Below are the top five things that are most important to me in no particular order:
✔ Resistance Training & Lifestyle Cardio
✔ Eating Clean Organic Foods
✔ Drinking Springwater
✔ Natural Supplements
✔ Rest & Recovery
All five components are equally as important as the other one to maintain a happy, healthy and fit lifestyle. One of the biggest problems any athlete faces is ensuring we take time out to ensure we get the adequate rest and recovery for not only our body but also our mind. After all, it is the largest muscle that we have and it also needs time out from the rat race of life we live.
It’s becoming very apparent that with the growing number of figure competitors being diagnosed with conditions like adrenal fatigue and hormone imbalances, that quite possibly the right things aren’t being taken care of and this is the end result. I know many others that are in the same boat as me and are having to endure the long and slow process it takes to undo what’s been done and we’ve done to our bodies. Thankfully though, I’ve now got the right experts helping me. But it’s not an overnight fix, it’s going to take time and a lot of it to get where I need to go with my health.
So that’s why it’s so important to not only say we’re going to get adequate rest and recovery but to actually follow through and DO IT. Otherwise we just may pay the ultimate price of not having our good health.
For me, it’s ensuring I get to bed for my eight hours of rest and recovery every single night no matter what. I may still be dealing with my sleep issues but that don’t stop me from doing what needs to be done and taking care of my mind and body as best I can. It’s also ensuring I follow through, irrespective of how exhausted I feel at the end of my week, and squaring everything away so I can relax on Sundays.
Then there’s all the little things I do that help me along the way. Like listening to my relaxing music to help slow down my mind from the busy day. Then there’s my organic chamomile tea I drink at night which helps me relax from internally. I also burn essential lavender oil in my office and my bedroom, that really puts me in a calm and relaxed state of being.
Then of course there’s our muscles. John Berardi wrote a great article in my opinion titled “Weight Lifting & Post Exercise Muscle Recovery”. We supplement, we train and then we carry on with our day. This time is equally as important because how we recover will determine how quickly and effectively we’ll perform ready for our next training session.
So ask yourself this one question. Am I getting enough rest and recovery? And if you’re not, then what are you doing about it?
