Once they have begun, people can get really into their personal training programs. After all, looking great and feeling even better are easy to get used to. People start working out on days that they don't see their trainers, and they start adding more cardio on the weekends. Eventually there can come a point when a person's body stops, well, liking all that training. Muscles never feel fresh, joints are tight, and fatigue sets in.
When the body stops responding positively to training, it is asking for a break. A smart training program builds in proper breaks, called "recovery time". This can help prevent fatigue, injury, training plateaus, and boredom. Take a look at the following Recovery information, and call to speak with our Registered Massage Therapists about how they work with you and your trainer to make sure that your training program is helping - not hindering - your progress.
Massage Therapy manually lengthens contracted, or tight, muscle fibres, and aids in the removal of wastes from your system. This allows your body to return to a state of muscular pliability, meaning you are ready to work hard again. It is also a great way to relax and unwind; pause your hectic day and revitalize your muscles at the same time.
Body by Bennett has two exceptional RMT's in our downtown location. Lisa Etty and Jordan Kelly are both graduates of the Grant McEwan Massage Therapy program, and are registered with the Massage Therapist Association of Alberta. Call 780.482.6884 for more information and appointments.
Our West End massage services are provided by Heather Friesen of SublimeBody. For more information and appointments, get in touch with Heather at 780.239.5739 or via email heather@sublimebody.net.
Active Recovery is an effective way to keep training feeling fresh and focused. Simply put, it means introducing a different form of exercise into your program periodically. This gives your muscles a break from routine, and allows them to recover while you maintain your activity level. For example, a marathon runner might take a swim day. While swimming is defintiely a workout, the marathon running muscles are getting a break from doing what they always do. When used properly, active recovery helps avoid training pitfalls such as training plateaus, chronic fatigue, and boredom. Talk to your trainer about active recovery, and read the articles below.
One of the most counterintuitive concepts for someone excited about their new fitness program is, at the same time, one of the basic principles of exercise science: our bodies get stronger during rest. In fact, it is in the time after exercise that our muscles repair and regenerate for the next session. While its true that too much rest can be detrimental, in this fast paced world we pressure ourselves for more - More work! More money! More exercise! Often what we need is the very opposite: to take a step back, rest, and assess our progress.
A day off from training is not the only rest you need to consider. To achieve balance within the body, other lifestyle factors need consideration. How do the following factors stack up in your life? Read more...
Overtraining occurrs when our bodies are overloaded too much or for too long. While a personal trainer can ensure we avoid this in the gym, we also need to avoid it when working out on our own. Often, the average person thinks he will achieve results more quickly if he trains longer and harder. Yes, too much rest will stall progress, but too little rest will damage the body. Read on for more thoughts on overtraining...