Secrets to competing. Rest days

The secret to competing

The secret is, there is no secret. There is no perfect way to compete. The idea of balance is a silly one. The champions of the world are built differently. MJ, Rich Froning Jr, Tia Claire Toomey, Michael Phelps. None of these people lived balanced lives while competing at the top of their sport. They are all missing something the rest of us possess, an off switch.

It has been said about the best athletes in the world that they,  “aren't fun to be around”. When you hear about Kobe Bryant's Mamba mentality it's intense. And does not seem warm and cozy in the least. I admire the drive in champions, titans of industry and moguls alike. But I don’t want to be like them. I want to know how and why they do what they do so I can gain little nuggets but not let it take over my life. I want to understand the positive traits so I can duplicate them. But I also want to fully grasp the negative traits in order to avoid them entirely.

There are ways to compete where we are able to maintain relationships with people. But as Newton's third law says, each action has an equal and opposite reaction. He is talking about something else entirely. Mainly how two objects interact with one another in regards to gravity… but let's apply it here. 

In order to compete at the highest levels of any sport we need to make some sacrifices. We can’t stay out late at night because if we did we would not be able to perform well in training the next day. We might need to have a sports therapist, otherwise we can’t keep our head on straight. A chiropractor or physical therapist, or our bodies might fall apart. A really expensive bed, or our sleep will be in shambles and once again, we won’t compete at our best. The list goes on and on. 

However as an everyday athlete we might not need to be as strict as a pro. Our off switch is still, and should be, intact. We can maintain relationships with people. We don’t need the “perfect” bed or sleeping conditions. We can have a little ice cream once a week and not lose everything.

But here is what we can learn from the best of the best. They are all, without fail, consistent and focused. I tell our kids this acronym more times than I would like to admit:

F. Follow

O. One

C. Course

U. Until

S. Success

It is silly but we can apply it to all things in life. Let's follow one course until success in our relationships, our food choices, our fitness and our recovery.

This does not mean that we follow the “wrong” course slamming our heads against the wall until something works. We need to find the thing that works for us and go for it. Here is what I have noticed about so many of our athletes. Can I call you that? Athletes? I think so. That is how I view you. I don’t think of you as a member or a client. I view you as an athlete. We are a family of athletes. Tangent… What I have noticed in so many of you is that you are getting excited about the programming that we have been doing. It is really difficult stuff. But you are gaining skills you never thought you would have. Or skills you didn't even know were an option for you. That is because you have chosen to follow this one course. I am so glad I get to be the one that helps in this part of your life. 

Compete with yourself. Comparing your results from the last time you did something. Compete in a friendly manner with friends from class. Let them inspire you to push a bit harder than you would had you not been next to them or having seen their score from before. Compete with the lazy part of ourselves that wants to be sitting on the couch. Compete with the overzealous side of us that wants to do 6 days in a row…. DON'T DO THAT…. Take a day off. 

Please keep sharing with me, even sharing with your friends and family, the impact this place has on your life. I know you have people that you wish were doing CrossFit with you… keep showing up to family events feeling more confident because of what you accomplished that week. Keep hanging out with friends and winning pushup contests at those events. Keep caring for your elderly parents or other abled kids because no one else is fit enough to do it. 

I am proud of you. Bre and I are proud of you. All of our coaches are proud of you.

Importance of Rest Days - By Warda Harchaoui

Let’s talk about rest days… “If I take a rest day, I will fall behind on my progress and the work I have accomplished this week was for nothing.” If this is you… listen up. There came a time in my fitness journey where I thought that I had to go hard every single day without taking some sort of rest day. Let me tell you… they are necessary. Why? Well, short answer is this; glycogen is a form of energy stored in muscles. Exercise depletes glycogen levels, which leads to muscle fatigue. Rest days allow the muscles to replenish their glycogen stores and as a result it reduces muscle fatigue and prepares the muscles for their next workout. During all-out exercise, glycogen can release glucose molecules at a significant rate which is why it is equally important that you are properly fueling your body with protein post-workout always and throughout the day.

We are almost two months into Coach James’ programming and I don’t know about you, but I am challenged daily with these workouts! I end the week feeling more accomplished than I have in a long time. Now, a full rest day is probably not something many of you want or need at the moment… which is perfectly fine but keep in mind, rest days are not only important for muscle growth, but injury prevention as well. We have been training a lot of different things lately, most of which we are not used to so please listen to your body and take the rest day before your body forces you to.

Here are some recommendations that I have found helpful; hiking, walking, bike ride, stretching/yoga, and hydrating!!! That reminds me, hydration is equally as important on rest days as they are on training days.. drink tons of water, eat plenty of protein and take this time to recharge and get ready for another week ahead. I’m so proud of all the work you all are accomplishing and I am humbled and grateful every day that I step into the gym to see your smiling faces get after it! If you want to learn more about rest and recovery, I love this podcast by CrossFit Inside Out- Rest and Recovery Days - Episode 4.

Keep building,

James and Bre Cooper