KNOWING WHEN TO TAKE A BREAK – ARE YOU SIMPLY GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS?

Man reading a book

The end of the summer triathlon season can be an interesting time. Some athletes are ready to put their feet up completely, others like to hit the mountain bike or trails just to change things up. And some athletes dig in and continue their training regime day-in day-out. Sometimes having a rest is the best thing you can do, butt often as athletes we fight it and don’t give our bodies the rest and recovery they are due.

Whatever sport or type of activity you do, it is always important to take a break from it physically, mentally and emotionally. Doing so will leave you fresh and fighting to go, and can often reignite that competitive spirit within you, which can easily be lost when putting in the big training weeks.

If you have lost a bit of training mojo or are simply finding yourself going through the motions in life and training, then this one’s for you!

women doing a yoga

DOES TRAINING EVER FEEL LIKE A CHORE?

Does training ever feel like a chore to you? Of course, there will always be some days when we don’t feel like doing things we have signed up for in life, whether they be cleaning, filling out paperwork, or doing the ironing!

However, in an athletic context, if you are constantly losing passion and the love for something you have always found invigorating and a huge part of your life, then this loss of enthusiasm could be sign that you need a break.

“If you are lacking heart rate variability and lack the ability to change pace or intensity without struggling, then chances are you are fatigued”

gym equipment

LOWER POWER OUTPUT AND CHANGES IN HEART RATE VARIABILITY

It is to be expected that fatigue leads to lower power output. This is something you can monitor if you do strength training, run, cycle or do any sport which has a strength or strength endurance component.

If you are regularly struggling to hit your maximum capacity or 90% of your maximum power output, then you should consider taking a small step back before 90% drops to 80% and 80% to 70% and so on. It can be easier in the long run to nip any fatigue in the bud.

Finally, if you are lacking heart rate variability, reflected in your ability to change pace or intensity without struggling, then chances are, you are fatigued or there may be some underlying cause such as illness.

These are easy things you can track either by feel or by using a power meter or heart rate monitor. If you are feeling really concerned about heart rate variability, you can also invest in a heart rate variability monitor.

Even so, don’t let the data override your sense of feel, and simply use it to clarify or confirm what your hunch may be.

“No one likes to be sick and no one likes to be constantly managing minor colds or infections, so watch out for repeating patterns and don’t let being sick become the norm for you.”

Ginger and Lemon Tea

POOR IMMUNITY & GENERAL RECOVERY

Immunity for many is one of the best indications of general health. If you are constantly taking time off to recover from colds, the flu or small infections or viruses, it is highly likely that your body is biting off more than it can chew on the training front. So you simply need to give it a chance to reset with a bit of TLC.

No one likes to be sick and no one likes to be constantly managing minor colds or infections, so watch out for repeating patterns and don’t let being sick become the norm for you.

pink yoga mat

SO, WHAT CAN YOU DO IF you are run down?

First things first, you can take a holiday from flogging yourself every day and try pampering yourself instead.

Get back on top of the small things in life which make the biggest difference to well-being, such as spending time with friends and family, reading, walking, eating fresh foods, getting at least 8 hours’ sleep each night and getting up to date with all the things that get put on the backburner when we are feeling either tired, overwhelmed or unwell.

You’ll be amazed at the difference the above can make to your spirits and energy levels, and to your athletic pursuits, when you are ready to face the rigorous demands of training again.

NURTURING YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH SUPERGREENS

As you take a step back from training it is the perfect time to nuture your immune system and focus on your nutrition. Are you eating a varied wholefoods diet, with plenty of protein? And what about nutrients? By adding a daily Supergreens supplement you benefit form 40+ vital nutrients. Essentially, Supergreens are a blend of vegetables (and in our case also superfruits), which contain all the vitamins, minerals, proteins and enzymes you need to benefit your health and support your immune system.  The high levels of chlorophyll and antioxidants in Supergreens can help to reduce inflammation, boost your immune system, and promote healthy digestion.

It can be difficult to consume the right amount of vitamins and minerals every day to combat the impact of heavy training, and so a greens supplement is a convenient way to boost your nutrients and fill any gaps. If you’ve ever tried a Supergreens powder, you’ll know them to be earthy tasting and hardly enjoyable… which is why we’ve blended our Supergreens with yummy cranberry so you can drink them just with water (without holding your nose!).

try THESE TOP THREE Bindi Products FOR HEALTH:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

natasha-bio

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