Recovery is one component of a good workout plan that is often overlooked. Many people simply do not realize just how imperative recovery is and the role it plays in moving you forward.
Overtraining is what happens when a period of excess stress is placed on the body, and the body is not able to counteract the stress through proper recovery processes. Without sufficient recovery, overtraining is virtually guaranteed.
Basically, if you have a balance scale of stress and recovery, it’s tilting far towards the stress direction with no recovery to keep it balanced. Over time, this leads you to become overtrained.
Many people don’t realize that with overtraining, it’s not always your muscles that are overtrained; it could be your central nervous system.
Overtraining is often systematic rather than muscular. People believe that as long as they are not working the same muscle group more than two days in a row, they won’t ever become overtrained. This isn’t the case. It’s still quite possible for your central nervous system to become overtrained. This is the system responsible for generating any form of force in the body. If you overtrain, all of your workouts will suffer regardless of what muscle you are targeting.
Start thinking of recovery as a time to gain growth and strength. If you think of it like this rather than time away from the gym when you supposedly aren’t making progress, you’ll start to realize just how important rest really is.
Here’s why; Gym time is going to make you weaker. Recovery time, when taken at appropriate intervals, is when you grow stronger. The more you can drill this fact into your head, the more likely you will be to give your body the recovery it needs for success.
When we talk about recovery, what we mean is giving your body the adequate time and stimulus to repair energy stores and repair damaged tissues. This is vital in order for us to grow stronger or make positive physical adaptations. Here are some of the best things you can do to give your body the best chance of being able to achieve this:
- Sleep
- Massage
- Yoga
- Myofascial Release
- Heat Therapy (Steam, Sauna etc)
- Cold Therapy (Ice Bath, Cryochamber)
- Sensory Deprivation Tank
As you design your workout program, make sure that you include enough recovery time and utilize some of the tools above. Don’t let yourself fall in the trap of thinking that more exercise is better. More working out, when not recovered, is only going to hinder your progress.
Recovery is often THE missing element from many workout programs, preventing people from achieving their fitness goal. There is a famous quote from Gym Jones that sums this blog rather eloquently:
“Don’t do the work if you don’t have the balls to rest because work + rest = training”
At our Revival Escape’s we dedicate an entire day to teaching and practicing different recovery techniques that you will be able to implement long after the escape is over. Find out more about our upcoming escapes here
