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.
Rest does not just mean a day off from your training program. Other lifestyle factors also impact your body's ability to recover. How do the following stack up in your life?
Sleep – How much are you consistently getting? Very few people are genetically able to function on less than 7 or 8 hours of sleep; yet, we’ve allowed ourselves to believe otherwise. Bodies recover and perform optimally on 8 hours of shut-eye, so get yours!
Down-time – This can be a liesurely afternoon with a book, or a mere second in your day. Take a breather (literally a breath), calm your mind and let your body un-wind. Such practices will refresh you and keep your body charged!
Leisure Activity – What would you do if you had an entire day at your disposal? Leisure activities allow us new creative input and keep us balanced! Find an activity that gives you rest from everything else you do.
Balance is something that busy people struggle to find. We bombard ourselves with the pressure to do more – More work! More money! More fitness! Let us take this opportunity to understand that what we often need is the very opposite – a chance to breathe, reflect, and regroup.
December, 2009, Beth Keating, (BSc.Kin.)
Rest and Personal Training Programs