time to pump the brakes
Hey there, we've made it to the end of another week! It's hitting 90 degrees here in Chattanooga this weekend 😯😅 and I'm looking forward to getting a bit of sunshine.
As I mentioned, last weekend I was home in Virginia and took A LOT of rest while I was up there. And let me tell you, my body needed it!
I've started to hunker down in the gym with the warmer temps in order to prepare for my trip to Colorado in 3 months.
I know the next few months will be intense with training so I used going home as an opportunity to deload and make sure my body got some rest.
I needed the rest even more than I realized. I had brought my climbing gear and running shoes "just in case", but I ended up in full potato mode. I lounged around all weekend, took naps, and chilled HARD!
My body was telling me I needed to slow down and it was important for me to listen to it.
Sometimes it can be hard to know exactly when it's time to chill out and when it's ok to push through. Here are some signs that it may be time to pump the brakes:
Performance loss - for example, you're normally and consistently able to hang on a 20mm edge with 25lbs added but for the last few sessions you have only been able to hang with 15lbs added
A noticeable and extended decrease in energy levels - even if you feel like you are getting enough sleep and fueling properly, you still feel fatigued
Feeling "foggy", unable to focus, and decreased coordination - not feeling "sharp" while climbing, aim feels off, and difficulty concentrating on the wall
Recognizing these symptoms and getting ahead of them is an important step for avoiding overtraining - a longer term issue.
A strategy I particularly like to determine whether to push through or call it a day is to warm up for 15-20 minutes. Sometimes once we get warmed up, we actually feel a lot better and can have a productive session. Other times, it's not in the cards and it's ok to leave earlier than intended.
Our bodies may tell us in different ways that we need to rest. So give it a think this weekend, how does your own body let you know it's time to pump the brakes?
