During winter, my training seems more of a chore

During winter, my training seems more of a chore than a workout.

And I can lose my motivation, yet every spring I wish I’d prepared more pre-season.

Exercise: Chore or Treat?

Doing the same training all year doesn’t always mean you will continue to improve at the same rate. If exercise is feeling more like a chore than a treat at this time of year, it is well worth examining both your training volume and intensity as well as seasonal changes to your nutrition and lifestyle choices. If all those aspects are not matched well with sufficient rest, your training will actually rob you of the adaption and improvement you were looking for.

It’s so counter intuitive to think less activity might incur more adaptation, but it’s true…

When motivation to exercise lapses, it could be a sign you are not recovering from your training sessions. Both training volume and intensity may need to be addressed as might your ability to recover properly from the stimulus. Training needs to be frequently reviewed to ensure it remains a process of adaptation. The amount of rest you achieve and the nutrition you choose impact the results of your training activities. Your body’s improvement will occur during the time your body rests and repairs. If recovery time, sleep and inadequate nutrition occur, under recovery can exist, lowering both your motivation and energy levels for exercise.

Periodization is the most important part of seeing continued improvements with any training regime. It involves breaking up the year into measurable manageable phases also known as mesocycles. Each phase targets a specific or series of attributes to be developed within a designated period of time. Appropriate periods of overload and recovery are designated for each phase. We’ll talk more about this next week.

Your Under Recovery Checklist

In the meantime, if you can tick any of the points in your under recovery checklist, make a point of revising your training choices, including your recovery plan.

It’s worth checking in with a sport therapist to review how well your training activities match the current needs of your body and your anticipated results.

If you have strategies to manage your winter training or have conquered under recovery, we love to hear what works for you!

Happy training,

From the desk of EVENT READY BODIES 

For more information contact us [email protected] or 06 3561494

ESNZ Jumping Team
25 May 2020