The true meaning of fitness is how fast you can recover.
I used to workout every other day. I’d work and work and work and then I’d burn out. I was exhausted all the time. And not very fit. Now I workout six days a week, am in better shape and feel great.
What’s the difference?
I learned the true secret of fitness is recovery. And I learned how to recover while I’m working.
How? I call it the art of micro-recovery.
Think about the ocean. The wave comes in (work) and goes back out (recovery). What happens when it just comes in? You have coastal flooding. Or think about your breath. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Try holding your breath for more than a minute sometime.
You’re probably asking, “Then how can you workout six days a week? You’re not recovering are you?” Yup, I am. I’m working different muscle groups each day. Part of me is always recovering. Even while I workout.
Coach Wayne has done a great job this session stressing micro-recovery. He has helped us be cognizant breathing between exercises. Today, I was winded and was able to get my heart rate back down nearly instantaneously — and then I was able to continue on with the next exercise. Micro-recovery allows me to do more work and get more out of my exercise.
And I think it’s a great metaphor for the rest of my life, too.
For two years, I worked 14 hours a day. I got a lot accomplished for the first few months. But then I started to physically and mentally breakdown. The tide was always coming in and I was exhausted. And then I read one of the best books on the topic I’ve ever read — The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. That book taught me that I had an energy crisis. I wasn’t building recovery into my day. And I burned out. I was working lots of hours but not getting much done.
Now I take micro breaks throughout the day. Like taking a breath in between exercises, I take a small break every hour. I will walk downtown once or twice a day. I eat to keep my energy consistent. I plan my day to do different activities at different times so I don’t get mentally burned out.
I’ve planned my life like Paul plans his PLS workouts. I work different parts of my life like my muscles.
And like my workouts, I’ve found that I am more productive. My attitude is better. And I’m doing better work. And my family is better off for it. They are getting a better me.
Today was leg day. We did six stations. One was the Gauntlet — four laps with while holding a 25-pound weight like a steering wheel, one without). We did two ladders that were laid on over the width of three basketball courts. We also ran the treadmill at 7.0 and 7.5 for about six minutes, did wall sits and runs and did heave and retrieve by throwing a blue ball down the courts. We also did weights. And we weighed in. I lost a pound — which isn’t great, but I know I’m putting on muscle, so a pound represents a victory. Next time I want to lose five.