When I demand that my clients incorporate rest into their intense workout schedules, I’m always met with googly eyes and a surprised, “You want me to do nothing?!”

But it’s a fact that no workout plan, or anything else for that matter, works to its fullest potential if you don’t rest properly. And, to be quite honest, after implementing all the new workout movements in your routine, having rest and relaxation on the schedule is like getting an unexpected gift!

As with everything else in life, there are huge benefits to finding the right balance between active exercise and recovery. During the rest and recovery time (which of course includes enough hours of sleep every night) cells heal, the body re-boots, and energy restores in the right places to mobilize the body for that next exciting event of output and exercise.

If you are on a plan that has you working out almost every day of the week, it is extremely important to let the body heal back one or even two days per week so you can reap the benefits of your actual training!

On a mind level, it can be very challenging for many of us who are trying to fit everything into our lifestyles (and oh, how proficient we become at multitasking) to take a break. Many of us have to learn how to slow down, and maybe even plan to do absolutely nothing.

A cornerstone in training and recovery is breathing. Studies say that breathwork has the power to influence and even reprogram the nervous system. From increasing energy to lowering blood pressure, improving circulation, and beating anxiety disorders without the use of drugs, there are many important benefits to breathing. It’s common knowledge that the art of yoga with its breathwork has healing powers, but I daresay that whoever you are and whatever type of exercise you practice, you can incorporate your own style of breathwork into your daily life.

This week, I would like you to challenge yourselves by scheduling some time for breathing and relaxing. Recovery exercises may include yoga, focusing on stretching your muscles, or using the foam roller to do some myofascial release while breathing deeply. Or simply take a walk in the woods and sit down in nature to inhale the scents of your surroundings. In the big city, my rest and relaxation consists of taking a bath, doing some deep breathing, and doing some tai chi just to slooow down…

Live Life Loud and let me know how it goes!

Image: szlea

Tags: balance, breathing, breathwork, healing, recovery, relaxation, rest

This entry was posted on Monday, November 30th, 2009 at 11:26 am and is filed under 10-Week Transformation, Body-Mind Health, Fitness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.