Everyone deserves some time off to relax from the daily grind. Life is all about balance, right? Whether you’re a regimented or lackadaisical athlete, remember to take some days to rest and recover. I recently returned from a seven-day trip to visit Mexico City and Oaxaca where I plotted out the nearest CrossFit boxes to visit, but was too busy sightseeing to check them out, however I came across an outdoor gym at Parque España  and decided to do quick workout.

 

Unfortunately this was the only workout during the trip. After going hard the week before, I believe I deserved a good break from working out! CrossFit follows a three days on and one off program, which means three days of working out and taking the next day to rest. Most people need a day of rest for the muscle tissue to regrow and the body to recover from the training. Personally I like to take rest days where I don’t do any kind of intense physical activity. Sometimes I take a yoga class, do some stretching or get a massage. If you’re a competitive athlete or a lazy athlete like me who is trying to get more fit, remember that more is not always better. Learn to listen to your body and understand that missing a day or two to take care of yourself is okay. You can only get stronger and faster if you muscles are given a chance to recover.

3 tips for CrossFit athletes

Coach Mike Tremello has written an article on Breaking Muscle about The Importance Of Respecting The CrossFit Process, where he gives three important tips for athletes trying to accomplish their fitness goals.

1. Listen to your body

Don’t get caught up in the three-day-on-one-day-off attitude. This is the work-rest day ratio CrossFit created when the program began and people tend read too much into it. If your body is telling you to stop, then listen.

 

The body repairs and strengthens in the time between workouts. Continuous training can actually weaken the strongest athletes. Recovery days are the only way possible to restore muscle tissue breakdown to make you stronger. It is okay to take two days off. It is okay to only workout one day and need a rest day the next. You should never be in perpetual soreness. Listening to your body is crucial.

2. Let your injuries heal

You have to let small injuries get better or they can lead to large ones. And the longer you ignore injuries, the longer it will take for them to heal. Don’t be too proud to scale or change a movement that may reactivate an injury and elongate the healing process. You are in this for the long haul and it is important to see the big picture, as opposed to being a badass for one day. Think, “I want to work smarter, not harder.”

3. Understand volume

Understand the volume you’re doing on a daily and weekly basis. Especially in regards to the amount of repetitions you’re doing of a given movement, the amount of load you are stressing your skeletal system with, and the movement combinations that you are hitting. Make sure you have a plan and it is understood by you and your coach.

 

Keep a log. Start to understand how you feel after a ton of shoulder and leg movements.

 

Learn your thresholds. What kind of volume can your body handle and still perform at high levels? Some people need little recovery, while others require a lot. Once again, it is a listening game for you when it comes to your body, and communication is key between you and your coach.

All this is sound advice. Listen to your body when it is sore. Take a rest day for your muscles to recover and your body to become stronger! Also let your injuries heal before hitting the gym. You don’t want to make them worse and lead to a longer recovery, do you? And his last tip on understanding volume is important for tracking progression. Starting a workout log is on my to do list.

But when you’re on vacation, do you continue to train or do you take it easy? If you do train, what do you? Let me know in the comments so I can have some ideas for the next trip!