A few years back one of our good family friends decided that it was time for him to get into shape again. He watched a few motivational videos (apparently Rocky was in there), loaded up on coffee and went to the gym one Saturday morning and gave it his all. He went back that afternoon. The next morning he was so sore that he hasn’t been in a gym since…

In his book “Antiftragile” Nassim Nicholas talks about “iatrogenics” which is basically “damage from treatment in excess of the benefits”. Going to the gym twice in one day after a break of a few years could probably fall under this category. These days with the abundance of “no pain, no gain” messaging across a number of different platforms it is easy to make our friends mistake. Maybe not going to the gym twice a day but a mistake none the less. Something we believe strongly in is training hard and recovering hard between sessions, a saying we love is: “You can only train as hard as you can recover.” So to help you get the results you’re looking for, while training hard and enjoying the process, make sure you have the following dialled in:

– Sleep: Described by Dr. Matthew Walker as “Mother Natures best attempt yet at immortality” adequate quality sleep has an effect on every aspect of your health. From motivation to your immune system to your time to fatigue to your pain perception. Make sure you’re getting enough quality sleep.

– Hydration: Adequate hydration will not only help improve your metabolism, it also plays a part in delivering nutrients to cells, lubricating joints, improving brain efficiency and boosting your immune defences.

– Nutrition: Yes you need to watch your calorie intake especially if your goal is weight loss. But don’t forget that quality nutrients are also needed to help you recover and repair from your workouts. So be mindful of what you are eating for sure but this also includes getting enough!

– Meditation/Breath work: Anything that can bring your stress levels down and balance out your nervous system can be hugely beneficial. We are not meant to have the chronic stress levels common with modern living and they take a massive toll on our ability to recover.

– Stretching and Mobility Work: Stretching and mobility work is something often neglected by trainees who prefer to lift and get their sweat on but for recovery and longevity of training they are absolutely essential. So don’t overlook what can also be a very enjoyable aspect of an effective routine.

If you’re looking for support to implement the above into a routine that works for you, click apply now for a free to see how we can help. Either way, work to implement the above and not only will you see better results in your training regime.

You’ll enjoy the process a whole lot more…