Don’t Forget to Program THIS
Hope everyone had a fun and relaxing Memorial Day Weekend!
I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with family and friends, and rubbing in my favorite Philly fan’s face the fact that the Boston Celtics AND Red Sox beat Philadelphia on Saturday.
Go Celts!
But more than anything else, I enjoyed the rest. Much like these guys, I needed it.
It’s probably safe to say that the majority of the population needs to get more sleep (myself included); however, most people also need more exercise – which means they aren’t necessarily overtaxing their immune systems on a regular basis. But there’s a portion of the population who think they’re invincible and can go non-stop… Guess what: Not so.
Whether it’s planned or simply due to life getting in the way, taking time off from exercise to recover seems inevitable – even to me. My work schedule has pretty hectic lately and I’ve really had to make an effort to squeeze in my workouts. BUT, I haven’t missed one. Problem is, I’ve been so worried that I’d eventually be forced to forgo one that I didn’t actually plan any days off… and it wasn’t until I started getting sick last week – which, by the way, hadn’t happened in almost 10 years – that I realized I’d probably gone close to two months without a single day off from training. Couple that with the fact that I think my last full day off from work was on Christmas…and it’s no wonder I got sick. I have a feeling there are other people who make the same mistake if they don’t plan and track these things…
That said, whether you plan your own exercise program or those for other people, don’t forget to program in some recovery time. The harder you train, the more you need. And this isn’t the only consideration: How much you work, how little you sleep and how stressful your life is will all affect your recovery. They’re all just stressors to your body, and without adequate and regular rest, it’s only a matter of time before you break down.
So don’t leave it up to the inevitable. If you’re the type of person who goes all out, do yourself a favor: PLAN some all-out rest time.
From now on, I don’t work out on Fridays. If you see me training on a Friday, make me stop!
Filed under: workout tips
