TIP#1 Rest Makes You Stronger
Everyone needs to rest. We actually spend most of our time resting, but for a lot of us, it's still not enough. Not enough emphasis is ever placed on Rest. The focus is always on training, never on nutrition and hardly ever on recovery. You must master all three of these elements to get real results. Rest has the No.1 spot on this list and I bet you don't know why...
Assuming we all know that even though fat can be burnt during a workout, muscle cannot be built in the gym. That is to say, when we workout, play sport or partake in physical activity our bodies are not in a state of muscle building, but actually of muscle damage. Do not be alarmed though, this is perfectly normal. Without this process of muscle breakdown our bodies would not be able to do the things we can do. As we exercise, our muscles exert forces on our limbs to move, lift and jump around - and these large exertions cause micro tears in our muscle fibres. It's these micro tears in our muscle fibres that will eventually provide potential for our muscles to recover stronger, faster or bigger the next time they have to exert force. A phenomon likened to the phrase 'Over Compensation' decribes the process which builds and repairs the damaged muscle fibres to withstand more force or durability, be it rebuilding it stronger, faster, durable or even bigger. Different stimulus' induce different adaptations. This fact we might already know, but we don't take advantage of it nearly as much as we should, as this processe can only take place at Rest.
If Rest is what we need to help us get results then why not just sleep loads? A good night's sleep is vital to recovery, but not everyone has the same definition of productive sleep. Sleeping for a long time, say 8-9 hours is irrelevant when it is during an improductive sleep window. You need to sleep and rise early to take full advantage of the hormones that help repair your body, like growth hormone. This window is normally dependant on daylight hours but it's mostly from 10pm-6am. If you continually go to bed past midnight then there is no knowing if you can take full advantage of the hormones needed for repair and recovery.
A lot of us over estimate our body's ability to recover. So they insist on training 5 times, 6 times or even every single day of the week. When a resistence training session is effective, most people can only train 3-4 times per week, sometimes 5 if the trainee is very advanced, but very rarely 6 days. 99% of us cannot train more than 3-4 times per week intensely and recover adequately, give it a go and see how your results pan out. Chances are that you will plateaux very quickly and if you're lucky then your physique will stay the same as before, but most likely your results will go backwards due to poor recovery time. If you are already training 3-4 times per week but still see little to no results, the answer probably lies with the effectiveness of your training rather than the frequency of your sessions. (stay tuned for an article on Effective Training).
This article is not specifically on nutrition, but it must be mentioned when talking about Rest and Recovery. Fuelling your body is as vital to your performance as fuel is to your car, end of story. I cannot give nutrition advice to someone I've never met before, but there are basics like getting enough protein and essential fats that cannot be ignored. When trying to build muscle or get stronger and fitter, all your meals need to include whole proteins, namely proteins that contain the full spectrum of amino acids. Animal proteins are the only whole food that contain the full spectrum of essential proteins. Without all essential proteins you will seriously limit your body's capacity for repair and recovery. (I will be doing another post on Nutrition so check back soon).
Finally, while concentrating on giving your body the best chance to build new muscle, you must also prepare to take care of the muscles you already have. Muscle takes a lot of energy to maintain, so a big part about becoming fitter, bigger, stonger or faster is protecting your existing muscle. When you don't train appropriately, eat properly or Rest enough it's not just your potential to grow new muscle that will suffer, but also your existing muscle. Your body needs Rest and protein to repair, build and maintain muscle. Without enough protein it will take much longer to recover and/or it will harvest it from your own 'protein stores', i.e. your own muscles, to repair the damage. The proper hormone balance is also needed to maintain your existing muscles too. So get to bed on time, eat smart and Rest, if you want to build on what you already have!
Thank You!
I want to help as many people as possible, only sharing relevant and useful information that will make a difference. More info coming soon!
Matt_The_Trainer
