Why “No Days Off” is Destroying Your Health
We’ve all heard the old adage “no pain, no gain”. Fortunately, most people have moved beyond this outdated approach to training but the mentality is like Shredder in TMNT - The Secret of the Ooze who, spoiler alert: refuses to die! Lately it has resurfaced as, “No days off.” All it takes is one look at Instagram and you’ll find close to 3.5 MILLION posts bragging this phrase as a hashtag along with things like #dedication, #workharder, and #neversatisfied.
More like #SlowlyDestroyingYourGainzzzz.
We’re all about hard work and dedication, but if we’re going to live by a memorable phrase I suggest, “work smarter AND harder”.
Overtraining is not a new idea but I have watched it become a big problem over the last few years. A quick Google search will give you countless articles warning of it’s dangers and symptoms like chronic injury, energy loss, depression, and loss of immunity function.
So why is something so preventable, such a big issue?!
A mentor of mine often says there is no such thing as overtraining, only under-recovery and I have to agree. Giving one hundred percent effort in a workout is what we all strive for but your ceiling for work-capacity is gradually reduced if there is no time to recover during the week. Nobody expects it to happen to them but I come across a lot of clients who understand this idea intellectually and still have an incredibly difficult time putting it into practice.
The battle against overtraining is mental for most people. Beating it is all about allowing your body time to physically recover without mentally feeling like your body is falling behind. I always suggest a two pronged solution:
- Change the way you talk about rest.
Language drives culture and thought. If you’re a person who has a hard time convincing yourself to take a day off and rest, don’t call it a day off! Try naming your days off something positive, like active recovery. - Plan for recovery just like you would plan for a workout or a training session.
Many people only do what they plan to do. If rest and recovery are that important to your progress (and they are) don’t expect them happen by accident. Plan them!
Let’s get rid of this “no days off” idea.
Instead of worrying about taking days off, plan active recovery days at least 3-4 times a month into your workout routine. Approach these days as seriously as you would a high intensity day but do something with a significantly lower work-rate and choose activities that help you progress towards your goals. Maybe it’s a short and slow jog, maybe it’s mindful meditation, or maybe you spend an hour stretching.
Whatever you do, plan it, stick to it, and track the trend line of your energy as well as the quality of your workouts through the month.
I would love to hear what you do for recovery or your thoughts on “no days off”!
Let us know at generationathlete@gmail.com
or on Instagram: @GenerationAthlete
-ac