Lifestyle Balance: Importance of Cross Training & Recovery

Finding balance is undervalued these days. There seem to be two main camps out there these days: 1) coach potato, go to work-eat-watch TV crowd; and 2) turbo workout, constant movement, multiple workouts each day, the go-go-go crowd. Both suffer from very different chronic issues that can lead to the same imbalances and injuries.

First, let's meet the coach potato, you know who you are already (we've all been there :) ). Too busy, too tired, too little time to take care of yourself properly. You experience weight gain, achy body, back pain, shoulders up around your ears. Most coach potatoes have completely checked out of their body's. Over time there is little understanding of what is truly happening on the inside, with little understanding of body mechanics as the unused neural pathways disintegrate. Coming back to the fitness world can be overwhelming (even intimidating). There is a huge risk of injury for these folks in daily living. With diminished muscle tone, tightening of under utilized connective tissue, and lack of understanding how to move with proper alignment injury is just around the corner.

Second, the turbo crowd. There's a big turbo crowd in the bay area. With the amazing weather, it's easy to train for marathons, bike racing, triathlons, and other endurance competitions all year long. These folks risk injury due to over training (aka under recovery) issues. Muscles continually contracted, connective tissue tightened around joints, causing inhibited movement which means there's a pull the skeletal structure causing injury. With hours spent on intense training, there is very little attention spent on proper stretching and recovery. 5 minutes on a foam roller will not undo the damage caused by the 2 hour training session.

Balance, balance, and balance; the key to both moving pain-free and moving efficiently is balance. Life is all about finding balance. For every action there must be an equal and opposite reaction. Strength must be balanced by flexibility, activity with recovery, it's all part of the same equation. I've talked to so many people who feel like they need to work up a sweat, be in a "doing" mode or they're just wasting their time. There is a fundamental lack of understanding that certain types of yoga/stretching/pranayama (breathing exercises) create a pivotal physiological effect in the body that will dramatically improve your abilities (either sport specific or in life in-general).

Overall, I have to say, be kind to your nervous system. When you're always on the go, diving head first into your activities, the nervous system stays on constant alert. Ready to fire, fight, or run, this constant state of readiness actually causes diminished results (the reverse of our desired results). The system can't stay at these heighten levels for long periods of time. That wasn't their design. Slower reaction times, limited range of movement, weight gain (yes, I said weight gain) and uncontrolled movements are the result of over training. Ironically, under training will land you in the same spot. With under use, the nervous system begins to "shut down" pathways to unused muscles groups. Weak muscles, slow reaction time, weight gain (hum, there it is again), and, yep, spastic movements are the result of lack of use.

Balance, balance and balance, the key to life is finding balance. Strength must be balanced with flexibility, activity with recovery (no, sitting in front of a TV or computer does not count). Consciously slowing down and listening. That may sound a bit new age, hippie for some, but a good athlete (yogic warrior) actually listens to their body. The body is constantly sending signals; eat, sleep, speed up, slow down, move left, move right, jump, drop, deep breath, etc. The more we listen, the more we can hear. When we shut down or only listen to what we want (ego drive desires*) to hear, the body stops communicating and goes into protection mode (if you don't, it will). Suddenly you may notice your weight increase as the body begins to store away extra energy potential, or you may notice a decrease in your endurance as your frazzled body can no longer respond to the constant challenge, or you may experience sleep issues because the nervous system has forgotten how to switch over to relaxation mode. Balance, Balance, Balance, that seems to be my mantra today.

*I say that with no judgment. It's a fact of life. We all have egos, that's healthy, that's how we motivate to achieve our goals. But when we let the ego drive the bus, so to speak, that's when we get into trouble. Over inflated ego leads to attachment to the outcome and defining yourself as the outcome. Under inflated ego leads to no motivation to take a risk and lack of empowerment.