1. Avoid monotonous training
Monotonous training consists of one moderately hard training session after another, whereas varied training consists of a good mix of hard days, easy days, and days off. Training programs which fail to change intensity from day to day can quickly lead to burnout and overtraining. To keep your workouts fresh and productive, make sure that each week you have one or two planned high-intensity workouts, a few easy or recovery workouts, and at least one planned day off.
2. Make sure you are optimally fueled
If you find your body is consistently tired and fatigued, glycogen depletion may be the culprit. With the low-carb craze, many people are not eating enough carbohydrates to refill depleted glycogen stores. High-intensity weight training and cardiovascular workouts burn lots of glycogen, so it is necessary to ingest a carbohydrate source after these workouts to refuel and recover. Fifty grams of carbohydrate mixed with 10 to 15 grams of protein within half an hour after intense exercise will do wonders for your recovery.
3. Get plenty of sleep
Many busy people try to get by on as little as four to five hours of sleep per night. Nothing will affect your recovery more negatively after hard training and send your body into an over-trained state than lack of proper sleep. When you sleep your body releases many important hormones, such as human growth hormone that helps your body recover and restore. Try to get seven to eight hours of solid sleep per night to ensure proper recovery and keep energy levels at their highest.
4. Set realistic goals
Family, work and other life stresses take a toll on our ability to recover from strenuous workouts. Choose a fitness goal that realistically matches your available time. For example, for a mother of three who works full-time, her realistic goal may be getting to the gym twice a week. Conversely, training for an Ironman triathlon maybe a realistic goal for a 24-year-old who works part-time. Setting realistic goals while maintaining a healthy balance with work, family, and life in general keep you fresh and motivated to achieve your fitness goals.
5. Schedule in rest weeks
Week after week of training can lead to staleness and overtraining. Everybody, including elite athletes, needs to take easy weeks to allow both the body and mind to recover from training. There are many different paths you can follow, but the correct one depends on how hard you are training and the nature of your other life responsibilities. The most commonly used pattern is three weeks of training followed by one recovery week. For others, two hard weeks followed by a recovery week can be optimal. Through trial and error you will find which path works for you. As a general rule of thumb, during rest weeks cut back both volume and intensity by 50 to 60 percent.
Member Comments