TO MOVE FORWARD, SOMETIMES YOU MUST NOT MOVE AT ALL

WEEK OF 11/25/24

 

Quick one for you today.  And somewhat topical (at least for me, that is).

To move forward, sometimes you must not move at all.

That is to say, the formula for progress is as follows:

Stress + Recovery = Adaptation/Growth

We often focus so much on the stress part of this equation: kicking harder, rolling more rounds, drilling more techniques, and so on.  But for every push that we make, there must be a corresponding rest or recovery action.

Are we getting enough sleep?  Eating enough of the right foods?  Letting our nervous system relax?  

You can do 500 pushups in one day, but you won’t be 500 pushups stronger.  In fact, you’ll probably feel pretty tired and beat up.

It’s only after you’ve replenished your body with the right nutrition, and allowed the natural processes in your body to work, that you will emerge on the other side with the adaptation of greater strength.

Keep this in mind when you make a commitment to start “ramping things up.”  We don’t have to just make time for more stress.  We have to make time and space for more recovery as well. 

Better/more food, and better/more rest.

Without it, the stress is just that: stress.  We won’t adapt.  We’ll just wear ourselves down. Allow yourself to do nothing sometimes.  Allow yourself to rest.  It really is the only way forward.