BiProUSA Blog
August 19, 2010 - Why Rest Is Important
I hardly ever pass up the opportunity for a nap and most days you don’t have to tell me twice to hit the hay at a decent hour. Working hard all day, socializing with friends at night and just keeping up with life usually does a pretty decent job of convincing me I need 8 hours of sleep each night!
Too bad my affinity for rest doesn’t always translate into my workout routine. You see, workouts allow me to distress and clear my mind so I try my hardest never to skip a day. But did you know you could actually be doing your body more harm than good by not allowing for a few days of rest in your workout schedule?
When you push your body too hard, without allowing for any periods of rest, your body will break down muscle tissues and energy stores faster than it can replenish them. This can lead to “Overtraining syndrome”, which can actually hinder your performance and leave you feeling tired, sore and more susceptible to illness and injuries.
So now that I’ve convinced you to take a break, keep in mind that there are two different types of recovery:
Short-term recovery, sometimes called active recovery, occurs in the hours immediately after intense exercise, meaning low-intensity exercise after your workout. Short-term recovery allows your body to replenish energy stores and fluids lost during exercise. This is also the time for soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments) repair and the removal of chemicals that build up as a result of cell activity during exercise.
Long-term recovery techniques refer to those that are built in to a seasonal training program. Most well-designed training schedules will include recovery days (or weeks) that are built into an annual training schedule. This is also the reason athletes change their training program throughout the year, add crosstraining, modify workouts types, and make changes in intensity, time, distance and all the other training variables.
So give yourself a break every once in awhile, even if you’re like me and feel the need to workout every chance you get. Try finding another, less stressful way to get your fitness fix. Spend extra time stretching or work on some breathing or meditation techniques – your body will thank you for it!
Hugs,
BiProUSAGirl
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