« The Face of Intenstity pt. 1 | Main | What Skills Do You Want? »
April 27, 2007
"There is no such thing as overtraining, just under-recovery"
Maximus entering recovery phase
Whether you are following the suggested three days on one day off protocol for the WOD's, or are a Monday thru Friday CrossFitter, it is important to understand the role that recovery plays in athletic development. Improvements in strength and fitness occur only during the rest period following hard training. This process takes at least 12-24 hours to complete. If sufficient rest is not available then complete regeneration cannot occur. If this imbalance between excess training and inadequate rest persists then an athletes performance will eventually plateau and decline.
Some signs of under-recovery:
* Persistent muscle soreness
* Persistent fatigue
* Elevated resting heart rate
* Increased susceptibility to infections
* Increased incidence of injuries
* Irritability
* Depression
* Loss of motivation
* Insomnia
* Decreased appetite
* Decreased sexual performance
* Weight loss
The following is a common CrossFit periodization program used to moderate volume and intensity in order to and allow for successful athletic devlopment
Week 1-3 WOD as Rx'ed
Week 4 50% volume (either reps, time, distance, or weight or any combo that makes sense)
Repeat
Week 12: Rest week / no WOD's
Repeat
Wiki on Sports Periodization: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_periodization
Essential Recovery Tools
Sleep (8 hours)
Good Nutrition (ask us we can help!!!!!!!)
Fish Oil
Active Recovery on Days off
Contrast Hydrotherapy (5 rounds 30 seconds hot/30 cold)
Massage Therapy (try Beth Sweeney if you haven't already)
***Use your workout log book to track your progress overtime, if you are under-recovered or verging on it, it will show in the numbers!**
Posted by Nicole Okumu at April 27, 2007 5:08 PM
Comments
8 hours of sleep. That's funny.
Posted by: Tim R at April 28, 2007 9:39 AM
I did "Nancy" today with 85# (10# more than last time) and 440 m runs around my hilly block. It took me 23:57, which is about six minutes slower than last time, but I got 3 sets of 15 unbroken OHS.
Posted by: Sam L at April 28, 2007 12:48 PM
Another way of putting this, is if you experience retrograde performance you might need a break: If you could do 20 double-unders last week, and now you can only get three, you might need some time off.
Posted by: Maximus at April 28, 2007 3:50 PM
The part I find difficult in resting is the guilt. This post has really helped. I do not come from an active family or background, so when I take a break, I often feel like a slacker. Thanks for reminding me that when I am working out at high intensity it is GOOD to take a break, even important for my health.
Posted by: Kristine Brooks Boncer at April 30, 2007 7:05 PM