Don’t Overtrain…And Merry Christmas!

I chuckle to myself from time to time when I think of how naive I was just a short few years ago. I would run without abandon, throw myself into a fray of attackers without concern of injury and generally work out at super hard intensities without knowing the dangers of overtraining. The danger of overtraining is real, and you just don’t know how blessed you are until you are sidelined for weeks, months or even years. It was not until the time I started learning sports science that I realised that having a serious down-time is just as important as extreme physical activity. One very good article cited:

“Oz’s rule of thumb is that bodies don’t bounce back as well after more than 12 hours of exercise a week. He said overexercise can create more oxidative stress, in which oxygen molecules called free radicals are formed that damage DNA and cells in ways that, over time, can accumulate to spur cancer.

Over time, oxidative stress has been linked to health problems, including cancer.

In general, doctors’ advice is listen to your body. If you are tired or achy, take a rest. Take days off and vary the intensity of your workout. Irwin counsels runners to watch out for signs they’re working out too hard, such as a resting heart rate 10 beats a minute over the normal rate.”

And…

“Foster offers some specific pointers for beginners trying to burn off the holiday bulge: Cross-train and give yourself six months or so to build endurance. Respect the limitations that come with age, he said, and ”don’t try to be 19 the first week. ”

But whatever you do, don’t stop exercising.”

I know many of you will be training intensely for the season ahead, but also remember to try to engage in active rest days. I emphasize the word “active”, because it means that you should not stop training, kick your heels up and pop open a bag of chips. Active recovery means going down to the pool for a run in the cold water, or even a wade at the beach. Also, because of free radical build-up, that seriously can hinder your health, try ramping up your consumption of high antioxidant foods found in your fruits and vegetables.

Most importantly, remember to enjoy your time with family and friends, save a strong prayer for peace and harmony around the world and remember to take it easy…your body will thank you for it.

Please Note: I’ll be taking the next 2 weeks off, so we will possibly update with some posts if I have the time. I will check my email from time to time, and would be glad to hear from any or all of you. God Bless.