I typically feel agitated on rest days. I don’t enjoy them like I am supposed to. I feel guilty about the WOD I am missing or about the run I was supposed to go on. But I realized it’s not worth it when your body is SCREAMING at you to just rest.This has been that kind of week this week. I hit the gym/pavement HARD last week and the repercussions have been a toll on my body. So this week I have been taking it easier. Sort of.
Last week I went to the gym 3 times to get my WOD on and decided to attempt to go to 16.4 at our gym’s Friday Night Lights. In case you aren’t aware, the CrossFit Games are just around the corner and every year they have The Open. It’s the opportunity for anyone to compete head to head with not only the best athletes in the world but with your buddy at your local box. It’s great and I look forward to it every week. But even though I got there early, the heat signup sheet was pretty much full and the next time I could have worked out was 2.5 hours from then. So I went home and mobilized. I wasn’t going to wait around to do that workout on a Friday night.
The next day we TOTALLY made up for it by going on a 7 mile run.
Cause like the maniacs we are, we are not just competing in The Open. Oh no. We are also registered to run our first HALF MARATHON in May! So we have been adding a few runs every week to build up our mileage! I NEVER would have pictured myself as a runner. NEVER. I still hate it most days. Then I kind of like it. I only love it when I am done! 😛
I can feel my endurance getting so much better and it definitely helps during our WODs. Then on Monday I decided to do the 16.4 WOD Rx. Yea….you heard me Rx! My first time EVER going Rx on an Open WOD. The WOD was:
13 min AMRAP (I laugh at this cause there is no way most humans could make it to round 2)
55 deadlifts @155lbs
55 wall balls @14lbs
55 calories on the rower
55 handstand pushups (I am still working on these!)
I made it to 42 calories on the rower and I was SO proud of myself! Those deadlifts had my legs feeling like JELLO.
And then the soreness hit me like a freakin’ wall Tuesday morning. Like, I couldn’t move. So instead of going to the gym that afternoon, I practiced some Yin Yoga.
I am actually getting into yoga. I never gave it its dues, but it actually helps me calm down after a long day and focus on being in the moment. I am trying to incorporate more yin in my life. J
Then Wednesday and Thursday came. And my body was still saying no way Jose! So I continued to do some yoga and mobilize. But all the while feeling guilty about missing out on the WODs. I tend to push through my pain 90% of the time and I end up injuring myself. For example, I broke my foot last summer. Or more recently I am pretty sure I snapped something in my wrist when I dropped a heavy front squat bar. This week, I decided to take it easy and listen to my body for a change.
Most of us feel guilty about missing a workout or two. But if you are sore to the point of potentially injuring yourself, it isn’t worth it. Your body needs rest to rejuvenate and recover. In fact, rest is ESSENTIAL in your training. Without sufficient rest, your body can’t run on all cylinders and just getting through the work day is rough. THEN after all that, you expect your body to lift heavy and commit to a high intensity workout? I don’t think so.
I need to be better about focusing on the positives about rest and recovery instead of focusing on how guilty I feel about not exercising for a few days. It’s not going to derail my progress.
Another thing I have been into recently is MASSIVE meal prep! I have been meal prepping for 2 the past couple of weekends and my weeks are SO much easier now!
Here are some pics to show what I am talking about:
Are any of you interested on me creating meal prep posts? Let me know in the comments section below!
What about fitness schedule posts? Any interest there? I want you as the reader to tell me what you would like to read about!
XOXO Amanda
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