Recovery Is As Important As The Exercise You Do!

Stop feeling guilty for a rest between sets, taking a break between exercises, and/or taking a rest day or more during the week.

I used to think the quicker I got through my workout the better I was. I would judge other people when they would take a rest between sets thinking that they weren’t fit enough, or not determined enough to keep going. But really it was me that was in the wrong. When I wasn’t resting, I wasn’t giving myself or my body the benefits that come with adequate rest and recovery.

What I have learnt since is that taking an appropriate amount of rest between sets allows your body to recover from the work, resulting in you being able to lift heavier, maintain form easier, complete the sets without stopping, and reduce the risk of compensation and injury. My eyes have been opened to the benefits, I have experienced the difference, and I would never go back to no rest.

Rest & recovery between workouts is not to be forgotten either. This is about giving yourself enough time between workouts for your body to recover and adapt from the work you’ve done. For some this may mean working out every second day, others it may be everyday though working out different parts of the body or in different ways. Rest & recovery can come in different forms from total rest to active recovery and activities the promote recovery like massages, saunas, ice baths, and stretching. It can be good to vary what you do in between sessions while always listening to the body and the way it feels.

By incorporating rest and recovery in and between your sessions you will help to:

• Provide time for muscle repair and growth.
• Prevent injuries.
• Restore energy into the body.
• Reduce inflammation.
• Balance hormones
• Support your immune system.
• Improve your mental wellbeing.
• Improve performance and long-term progress.

Without the adequate amount of rest and recovery you are likely to feel lacking of energy, burning out, and see a decrease in your performance.

Take a look at the rest and recovery you are currently doing, is it sufficient or do you need more? Love to hear your thoughts. You can email me at info@mypathforward.com.au or complete the form on the contact us page to let me know your thoughts. 

All the best with your training

Yours in happiness and health

Tamara