I took a week off Gym and here’s what happened! — Part 1
2 weeks ago, I decided to let my body heal by ceasing to train for a whole week. I don’t remember the last time I had to stop training completely but I did it for the sake of my wellbeing and mental state.
I’ve been also experiencing some body aches and soreness due to the sheer load that I was exposing my body to, and due to a lack of adequate mobility training and stretching.
I was training nonstop and resting was not in my dictionary. I felt that I always needed to train to speed up the process only to come and bite me in my rear end. And for that, I am currently suffering the consequences of overtraining.
It’s funny that I wrote an article about overtraining yet I slipped into it and now I feel the need to rethink my training strategy and prioritize recovery.
Overtraining is a thing and now I tasted its nasty outcome.
As I was healing from some back pain, plantar fasciitis, and knee problems, I managed to get in my daily steps and did some mobility drills to not lose my training momentum.
Also, it was a great opportunity to research mobility training and know how to implement it in my training routine. But what I reminded myself during my week of training cessation is the real reason why I am training.
It is very easy to get carried away with chasing achievements and results, but it is easier to forget the real purpose of why you are pursuing an endeavor. Your purpose gets forgotten and you lose the real drive that made you start training in the first place.
My purpose is to Motivate and Train people to create strong, healthy, and independent athletes. And if I were to achieve that purpose then I should be practicing what I preach.
As I emphasize proper nutrition, recovery, stress management, and progress tracking among other things, I should be doing that as well. How can I be the best version of myself if I am exposing my body to lots of stress without proper recovery?
How can I be a good coach if I am not adhering to what I preach? Are all the knowledge and experience I gathered for nothing? I think not! This is why I am going to rethink my training strategy, adhere to my purpose first and foremost, and not let myself get carried away again.
I am still in my prime, and I don’t want to get severely injured just to get results. Surely results are great, but they are a byproduct of proper training and recovery. They shouldn’t be the end itself.
Right now I am back to training and I am taking it slow. In addition, I am taking a Strength and Conditioning Course and my approach to training is drastically changing (more on that in part 2).
Aches and pain subsided a bit, but I still need time to properly heal. Mind you, training does not mean you are not exposed to injuries. As long as you are doing the exercises correctly and making sure you are recovering well then you will mitigate injuries.
In the end, always train for your well-being and to look good and in shape. Do not get carried away with results, put in enough effort, enjoy the process, and take a week off training if needed to reset, refuel, and come back strong.
Wish you Strength and Wisdom ✌️
