Rest and Recovery 101

Recovery is an important aspect of training that often gets overlooked. I think rest gets pushed to the side because everyone seems to be obsessed with doing more.

More weight!
More reps!
More sets!
More sweat!
Bigger!
Faster!
Stronger!
Farther!

You might ask yourself, "Why aren't I making more progress?" Usually the first thing that comes to mind is "I need to do more!" Makes sense right? If you are only training 1-2 times per week this is probably the case, but for those of us that are more motivated it might be the exact opposite. We definitely need to be pushing ourselves in order to get better, but doing it all the time can lead to a point of diminishing returns. It all boils down to stress.

Stress can throw a serious wrench in any training plan. Everyone's body responds to stressors differently. Some can handle insane amounts of volume, run on low sleep, work 50+ hour work weeks, and never miss a beat. Others break down much more easily. The body can handle a finite amount of stress before it begins to break down. Here are a few examples of common stressors:

• Training
• Work
• Low sleep
• Excessive stimulant consumption
• Poor breathing patterns
• Poor nutrition
• Family

All of the above increase sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) activity and decrease parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) activity. The more time one spends in a sympathetic state, the harder it is to get the rest that is needed to make progress.

So how much is too much? As I mentioned before, it depends on the individual. Too little training stress will not be enough to elicit the adaptation needed to make gains. Too much and the body begins to break down. The best way to determine you need more rest is to listen to your body. If you are regularly experiencing an excess of one, or a combination of any of the following, it might be time to re-evaluate your habits.

• Lack of sleep
• Training plateaus
• Illness
• Injuries

The first and most obvious way to avoid these symptoms is with a proper lifestyle and smart training habits.

• Practice proper nutrition
• Get enough sleep
• Move your body
• Stretch and massage
• If it hurts, stop
• Don't drink a pot of coffee every day

The next is to use planned periods of rest into your training program.

Enter the Deload

Planned periods of rest and recovery are referred to as deloading. A deload is when you reduce overall training stress with a reduction in volume, intensity, or frequency. Using these periods of rest allows supercompensation to occur, in which case the body should come back stronger when one resumes regular training. Usually a deload lasts one week, but they can be built into training several different ways.

When to Deload

Auto-regulation
There are a couple approaches to deloading I would recommend. The first is when your body tells you to. The technical term for this is auto-regulation. If you are feeling tired, stressed, and beat up, it might be time to back off on the volume that day or take a deload week. If you want a more scientific and measurable method, check out BioForce HRV. This product is geared more toward the serious fitness enthusiasts and athletes, but anyone can benefit. It uses heart rate variability to measure how well your body is recovering. If you are serious about your training, I highly recommend it.

Planned Deloads
I prefer the planned deload. I believe it makes more sense to plan deloading periods because it allows one to program more structure into training. For example, if I know I am going to take a deload next week, I might push a little harder this week. It also makes sense from a longevity standpoint. If I take a deload week every 4-6 weeks for the rest of my life, my mind and body will be more well rested and less susceptible to injury in the long run.

In order to justify a deload, you have to be training hard enough. If you only work out twice per week, you probably don't need it. Beginners won't need to deload as often because they aren't putting enough stress on their body. An intermediate trainee might need to deload every 6-8 weeks or so, and advanced trainees might need to deload as often as every 2 weeks.

For example, with a max deadlift of 535 pounds, I pull in the 450-500 pound range on a weekly basis, so I usually take a deload every 4 weeks. A beginner with a max of 200 pounds won't need to deload very often because they aren't putting nearly as much stress on their body.

How to Deload

A deload is NOT an excuse to take a week off and be a total slug. You still need to train in order to avoid a de-training effect. Coming back to our definition of deloading, a reduction in volume, intensity, or frequency is the first way one might approach it. Its really not all that complicated.

• Reduce volume - less sets, reps, or distance. Instead of 5x10, do 2x10. Instead of 5 miles, do 3.
• Reduce intensity - less weight or effort
• Reduce frequency - training less often

And some other methods you can use:

• Steady state cardio - Stay in the 120-150 BPM range for heart rate.
• Yoga
• Foam rolling and stretching
• Try something new - get outside and train, take a new class, etc.

Recap

Health and fitness is a long term endeavor. When mapping out a training plan, consider your longevity. Using proper rest and recovery modalities will keep you in the game for longer and help you get stronger. Practice sound lifestyle habits, listen to your body, and use deloading to minimize stress and maximize results.