A few recent events have had me thinking a lot on this subject lately. I guess it really starts with the definition of "being in shape." There is "being in-shape" for a sport. There is basketball shape or swimming shape, but there is no standard definition for the phrase. Rather it is a personal definition. What does it mean to you? For me, it means being able to do all of my physical pursuits and feeling strong and confident in my strength while doing the activity. I challenge you to write down your own personal definition, then ask yourself if the activity you are doing is actively helping you achieve your definition. If your vision of being in shape means being able to do a century bike ride, your training should reflect that by incorporating long training rides and strength work to make sure your body can handle the endurance. It should also incorporate an active rest protocol, making sure there is an emphasis on sleep and nutrition and a large focus on recovery days. Too often I am seeing a lack of focus on the latter. Recovery. It is a strange concept, right? I, your personal trainer, am telling you to take a day or two a week to rest and let your body recover. Not to push it just for the sake of pushing it one more day, so you can close the rings on your watch, or so you can brag to your friends about the killer 7-day a week training sessions you do. I encourage you to spend 5-6 days a week on focused training with focused intent and take a day or two to focus on your recovery. Get a massage, take a long walk, or get a great night of sleep and do things that help restore you, not break you down. If your goal is to get stronger, doing a bunch of burner/HIIT workouts is not going to get you there. If your goal is to get more flexible, then you need to add active stretching to your daily routine. Think about your goals, and plan around them. Think about what is important to you physically and plan for it.
