A few days ago, I broke one of my cardinal training rules: I worked out while sleep deprived. My training ended up being quite lackluster. I could not maintain my normal high intensity. I could not focus. The next morning, I woke up with a sore wrist and shoulder and feeling even more beat up then I did prior to training. A very unproductive workout.
Movevolution Physical Therapy teaches all of our clients, whether they are dancers, runners, cyclists — anyone who moves for a living and lives to move — that proper recovery is just important as training itself. Your body needs time to rest and heal after workouts, events, performances, a long flight, a bad night’s sleep and even colds, flues and illnesses. Returning to normal training levels to soon, while your immune system is hampered or muscle micro tears are not fully healed, is asking for trouble.
Regardless of your sport or training intensity, rest and recovery should be part of your overall sports training program. Putting yourself on a periodization program (changing your sports training program at regular intervals or “periods” to constantly challenge your body, while still giving it adequate rest) will help you avoid energy depletion, injury and really sucky workouts!
Richard Symister, MSPT, CSCS
Owner, MovEvolution Physical Therapy
Fort Greene, Brooklyn, NY
Heal. Move. Rest. Evolve.