Training

Photo: we♥it

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?

So all good things must come to an end and so must this, my time with the Guinea Pig Training Program. Hubby and I have decided to finish a week early. This week will be week fifteen of sixteen and we won’t be completing the last week.

We’ve both been training solidly now for four months straight and we’re feeling that it’s time for a little break. Now normally, I don’t train for that long a period without taking a break but everything was travelling along well and I really didn’t feel the need. Until now, that is. So it’s important that we listen to our bodies and it’s needs. I guess you could say that I’m being more intuitive and letting my body dictate how long a period I want to train.

We’re taking a week off from our training and work for that matter. I’ve flown hubby’s parents down to spend some time with him and we’re going to spend our time with them.

We’ve both thoroughly enjoyed the program. The things that we’ve noticed and seen improvements in are:

★ Continued improvement in strength

★ Greater range of movement

★ Increased flexibility

★ Injury and ailment decreased

A lot was gained from a functional strength training program. More than I’d expected, so I was pleasantly surprised along the way on a number of different occasions. Once the experiment is completed I’ll be able to talk more publicly about it but until then it’s still cloak and dagger stuff.

I attempted to pick up my Vibram® FiveFingers® last week but unfortunately the store was closed. So back I’ll go this week. I already have a plan for the next training program. I’ve got half of it prepared and organised. The rest is still being worked on but I’ll post about that in a fornight’s time.

As I keep saying, if I want different I have to be prepared to do different.

Motivation. Inspiration.

These two words are often used and heard in our every day lives. Ideally we’d like to have them both to motivate and inspire us to do all the things we know we’re supposed to do day in day out. But unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Every day we get up out of bed, we eat our breakfast, we shower then change and head to work. Now surely we’re not motivated and inspired to do this every single day of our lives? I know I’m not. Instead we do it because we chose to and because it’s become a habit.

This my friends is why we need to view our training in exactly the same way. No matter what the circumstances are, you’re hot, you’re cold, you’re bored, you can’t be bothered. Once you’ve made the choice to commit to your fitness you have to follow it through, no matter what the circumstances are. I can assure you, you’re not going to be motivated and inspired to train every single time you need to because that’s not how this works. It works because we make it work by doing what needs to be done no matter what.

We should also be grateful for what we do have, not what we don’t have. As I always say, life is about balance. Everything comes with it’s own sacrifice, so in saying that we’re never going to be fully satisfied with what we get in our gyms. There’s always something that isn’t there. For me it’s the rusty dumbbells, lack of variety of gym equipment and no air conditioning in summer but it is what it is so no point in complaining about it. Worse case scenario we could always change gyms. If that’s not an option then we just have to suck it up and get on with it. No gym’s perfect so we just have to make the best of a bad situation if that is the case. There are worse things that could happen in life that’s for sure.

So make the commitment to stick with your training no matter what the circumstance.

Your worth the effort.