Rest...The Forgotten Ingredient in Success

[Guest]

by Karen Napierala, PT, AT, MS, CAFS

You’ve always valued a strong work ethic.

You’re always the first in and the last to leave.

You work as hard as or harder than anyone on your team.

So why haven't you seen consistent improvement?

There’s likely a few reasons, but a key one is effective recovery...yes, REST!

Every workout you do, especially the really hard, grueling ones, will create stresses in the muscles, joints, and connective tissues. Those stresses are absolutely necessary for growth and development but take some time and energy for your body to repair and adapt to. The length depends on the intensity of the workout and the state of your body.

Remember this really KEY FACT...

Muscles doesn’t adapt and respond to your workouts DURING your workouts. 

They respond during the recovery phase AFTER your workout!

THAT’S RIGHT...

                        No rest = No or poor training response.

I know what some of you are thinking now. Uh-oh. I’m in trouble. I’m not sure I’m resting enough.

Rest is required daily. Between workouts. Nightly in the form of sleep.

And for longer breaks in-between seasons. 

Usually we think we have to actively pursue our goals by doing something. Usually we do, but the use of these controlled rest periods effectively can actually increase your results!

There is also another rest-related issue these days…the growing trend of playing year-round single sports to increase your skill level. No doubt those who do this are super skilled. They are also potentially overworked in the exact patterns of their sport.

Have you noticed that not even professional athletes work year round on their sports?

They use their off seasons to pursue active rest, take up a recreational sport, and/or cross train or weight train. But the fact is they don’t play their sport competitively literally year round. This serves as a great rest for the muscles and joints overused in their primary sport while working other areas that may be deficient.

It also gives the athletes a mental break. At Peak Performance, we’ve seen the repeated phenomenon of an injury-induced rest period subsequently producing a hunger to return to their sport, inspiring a renewed love for the sport that they hadn’t actually felt in a while.

If the professionals that younger athletes aspire to be like aren’t playing year round, non-stop, then shouldn’t younger athletes consider taking that valuable rest from their sports too?

What are some signs that you or your young athlete might need more rest?

·        Change in mood... decreased desire or energy for your sport or training.

·        Reduced intrinsic/self-motivation to play and practice. Needing more than a typical amount of extrinsic push from parents or coaches to participate or work hard.

·        Instead of jumping higher or running faster, you actually seem to have less production in your sport. You may feel fatigued, sluggish, or have a slower reaction time than usual.

·        Repeating the same workout too many times/week

·        Decreased appetite

·        Feeling restless, excitable, unable to sleep as well, or relax

·        Your legs, joints, bones, or limbs ache all the time

·        Falling or stumbling, losing control of your body more often in drills and/or games

·        Difficulty recovering after a big workout (taking over 3 days)

·        Disturbance in menstrual cycle for girls

If you have 2 or more of these signs, reassess your training regimen. Look at your diet, your fluid intake, your amount of impact training, and the amount of rest you are incorporating, daily and weekly.

We suggest that you pick a measurable goal such as vertical jump,   speed of pitch, 20-yard dash speed...something that is a reproducible indicator in your sport and test it weekly. If at any time it is getting worse, think rest!

Add daily rest in the form of better sleep habits.

Shorten one or two of your workouts, or at least the impact or running/jumping portions of them.

Build in 1-2 days of rest/week.

Incorporate a cross training day with biking or swimming.

And remember....

More is not always better!

Enjoy the rest!