Training Programs

Adapting To the Stress of Training

As you prepare for next week, please make sure that you are continuing to capture your Body Analysis information on a daily basis. As we capture more and more historical data, we are able to catch any deviations in your body’s ability to adapt to the stress of training. As a I have posted on the Coach Robb Facebook page, by consistently tracking your daily resting heart rate you are able to “catch” signs of fatigue, stress and even illness early and adjust your training accordingly to minimize the grip of the virus or stress.

As a general rule of thumb, if your resting heart rate is up 3 beats or less over last week’s average, you need to keep your workouts strictly aerobic (this means NO weightlifting – it is anaerobic) and the duration to less than an hour. If your heart rate is up 5 beats or more over last week’s average, I want you to go back to bed (if logistically possible) and use your normal “training time” as “recovery time”. Use this extra time for eating, stretching and mental development – the non-sweating performance elements of your program. It is always better to give up one or two days of training then to “push through the stress or virus” only to be set back 7-10 days.

Please keep in mind that an elevated heart rate associated with high intensity/volume training is normal and is part of the adaptation process when supported with proper amounts & quantities of food & sleep. The key is to evaluate how your body “absorbs” such a workout. By listening to your body and following your biofeedback (resting heart rate, body weight and quality of sleep) provides you direct feedback that what you are doing (training and recovery wise) is working.

What Excessive Weight Loss Indicates?

Another variable to keep in mind is your body weight – especially after a hard or long workout. As the muscle break down, you will notice that your body has a certain level of tenderness and inflammation – noticeable on the scale in the way of an elevated body weight. This is nothing to be alarmed about, but rather an observation of what your body is going through as it attempts to recover from the workload that you submitted it to in training. One of the side effects of aerobic training is the release of free radicals, these free radicals need to be offset as quickly as possible for optimum health and performance. The most effective tool to offset free radicals are micro-nutrients referred to as antioxidants found in fresh fruits and vegetables.

With this in mind, plan ahead with your grocery shopping to ensure that your refrigerator is stocked with ripe (preferably organic) fruits and vegetables that have been cleaned and stored in easy access containers that you can grab when needed/wanted. The more consistent you are with your eating, the stronger your immunity system will be and your chance of becoming ill will be minimized and/or eliminated. If you are not a big fan of fruits and vegetables or are too busy to purchase and consume fresh fruits and vegetables, please take a look at Nutritional Frontiers add in products: Pro Reds (5 servings of fruits and vegetables), Pro Purples (19 fruits and vegetables loaded with antioxidants) to help provide nutritional support through smoothies and nutritional drinks.

Remember, the body that you have today: muscles, skin, connective tissue, etc. is the result of what you have consumed over the last 6 months – food is literally your foundation to your health, wellness and ultimately your performance. Understanding your biofeedback, another element to Work Smart, Not Hard and Avoid Overtraining!

Yours in sport & health,

-Coach Robb, Coaches and Staff

Thought for the week:

“Winning is important to me, but what brings me real joy is the experience of being fully engaged in whatever I’m doing.”