Fit for Life: 1-2-3: REST!
Saturday, September 20, 2014
All this talk about doing - now I want to stress the importance of UN-doing. While I believe that every time you work out you need to bring it on hard, and train like a warrior, preparing to fight gladiators; but on the flip side, your body must be able to withstand the punishment, and only two things insure that: rest and nutrition (hydration falls in the category of nutrition).
It is impossible to train with 100% intensity if you are injured, sore, unmotivated, or fatigued. Over training elevates cortisol, that sympathetic fight or flight hormone, and elevated cortisol over long bouts of time, causes your body to enter defense mode making it tougher to burn fat, and it slows down healing, impairs digestion, metabolism and mental function. So you work yourself hard, without attention to rest and recovery, you can end up with a negative result–not a good result, for all your blood, sweat, and tears.
Other problems associated with over training include recurrent injuries like tendinitis, stress fractures, adrenal fatigue, and chronic fatigue, amenorrhea, or absence of menstrual periods in women, constant muscle & joint soreness, regression (not making any gains in the gym or on the field), exhaustion, illness caused by a weakened immune system, and irritability.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTTake a day off from strenuous physical activity every three workouts, or as necessary. I know there are lots of workout fanatics out there who will say you don’t need to do this, that only working out constantly will get results; but we also need to exercise some common sense, and pay attention to our bodies. Just like when you feel hunger pangs, you eat, so when you feel overly exhausted and sore, rest. This is perhaps what makes me different from an average personal trainer, because it’s where my holistic training comes into play. My advice–train hard and rest easy. As with many things in life, it’s all about balance.
You want to do something that makes you feel good, and relax. If you say intense exercise relaxes you, you are not doing it right. No, doing yoga, correctly, isn’t a “break.” Some yoga classes are as tough as any other workout.
So, as I’ve given advice on exercise–here are my suggestions on rest and rejuvenation:
Take a meditative walk - leave your phone and music behind.
Get in touch with yourself and nature, by paying attention to your posture, foot strike, breathing fresh air, and core stability.
Massage.
Massage increases circulation which speeds muscle repair, and regeneration, increases disease fighting white blood cells/decreases cortisol, and heals the body. And, it feels great.
Sleep eight hours.
This is tough for some, but you need to make the effort. The benefits of sleep are enormous, including mood elevation and mental alertness. Many of our bodies’ major restorative functions like muscle growth, tissue repair, protein synthesis, and growth hormone release occur mostly, or in some cases only, during sleep. Sleep also lowers adenosine levels in your system. Adenosine levels are thought to lead our perception of being tired. Sleep improves memory, is said to help us live longer, curbs inflammation, spurs creativity, improves performance, sharpens attention, lowers stress, and lowers depression.
Spa day.
Whatever you can afford to do… do it!
Lay in the grass/hammock and take a nap.
Sit around the house.
Veg (literally) out, watch a movie or TV–it’s ok.
R-elax
E-njoy yourself
S-leep
T-rain harder
Matt Espeut has worked as a personal trainer for almost 20 years with clients ranging in age from 14 to 86. His focus is on overall health, strength, and functional conditioning. Holistic health and nutrition is the cornerstone of all his programs. Matt works in private and small group training available at your home or office location or at gym facilities. Matt offers his services to everyone wanting to be more fit and healthy, overweight young people, youth/collegiate athletes, and seniors. Matt has worked and trained at several facilities in the Providence area. In September, Matt will open PROVIDENCE FIT BODY BOOT CAMP, at 1284 North Main St., Providence. Email Matt: [email protected]; check out his website at http://www.fitnessprofiles.net or on Facebook at Matt Espeut or on Twitter @MattEspeut. Call 401-453-3200 for pre-opening information.
Related Articles
- Fit For Life: Making Sacrifices
- Fit for Life: A Divided Nation
- Fit For Life: Ah-Choo!
- Fit for Life: Attention! It’s an Epidemic!
- Fit For Life: Good Eating and Exercise - Disguised
- Fit For Life: The Planet’s in Trouble and So Are We
- Fit For Life: How to Make Fitness Your Way of Life
- Fit for Life: No Medals for Almost Winning
- Fit For Life: How to Get a Tight Butt, Flat Belly + Great Legs
- Fit for Life: Success Starts with Getting on the Right Path
- Fit for Life: Fail to Plan? Plan to Fail
- Fit for Life: Just Do It!
- Fit for Life: You’re Not Alone
- Fit for Life: Feel Invincible
- Fit for Life: I Don’t Want to Hear It, So Don’t Say It
- Fit for Life: Fit At Any Age
- Fit for Life: Back to School – Two Ways to Get It Right
- Fit for Life: Got Drive?
- Fit for Life: Your Future is in Your Hands
- Fit for Life: Want to Lose Weight? Ready, Set, GO!
- Fit for Life: Everything Old is New Again
- Fit for Life: One Step at a Time
- Fit for Life: No time. Too busy. FAIL.
- Fit For Life: Life Is a Marathon Not a Sprint
- Fit for Life: What Would Matt Do?