Incorporating Kindness & Recovery Into Your Fitness Journey
By Seema Chopra, Strength & Conditioning Coach
In the world of fitness and athleticism, the focus is often on pushing ourselves to our limits, striving for personal bests, crossing finish lines and achieving a certain aesthetic. While these achievements are undoubtedly gratifying, sometimes they can be out of reach; we can place unrealistic expectations upon ourselves that can overshadow the importance of nurturing our bodies, practicing kindness towards ourselves, and prioritising recovery. Especially when there are other components in our lives that place cognitive, physical and social demands on us too.
Social media, generalised exercise programmes and often inexperienced coaches do not take into account the person in front of them. They often showcase the best movements and most complex sequences, but I can assure you that it's okay to keep it simple, to master the foundational movements and progress when you are ready.
Acknowledging the whole picture
Your strength and conditioning programme should go beyond just pushing you hard in the gym. Those workouts should make you feel fabulous outside of the gym too. Giving you the energy and dynamism when you're at work, with family and living life itself. It should also acknowledge, respect and celebrate all the incredible things your body does for you on a daily basis. Incorporating elements of recovery, mindfulness, and gratitude into your routine allows you to respect where you're at in your training journey and appreciate the progress you've made.
My top tips for acknowledging the whole picture:
Sync with your menstrual cycle: Although there is no hard and fast rule, getting in sync with your menstrual cycle/ hormonal patterns can provide a strategy for your exercise that enables you to change up how you work with your body. Your luteal phase is an opportunity to remove the pressure and expectations from your exercise. Shift the focus to lower intensity work and take care of the symptoms that arrive with this phase. Bad moods, bloating, period pains and lack of sleep can be supported with light intensity exercises.
Undulating intensity: Use an ‘undulating’ intensity throughout your month, this means varying how intense the exercise sequences week by week or session by session. Training at the same intensity throughout the month will not lead to progression in your training. It’s important to vary it in a wave-like pattern to allow the body to adapt, recover, develop and strengthen. For example a weekly undulating programme could look like this: Week one: Heavy strength, week two: hypertrophy, week three: dynamic power, week four: deload. That way you are always working on different modes of exercise and refining your technique along the way. As training progresses, both volume and intensity change in order to gain strength (i.e. maximum power, strength endurance, speed power) and muscle mass.
Promote gratitude and mindfulness: Taking moments to be grateful for your body's abilities and showing kindness towards yourself can have a profound impact on your athletic performance and overall well-being. By nurturing your body and mind, you create the space for growth and development, allowing yourself to become even stronger and more resilient in the long run.
What does a deload week look like?
Taking the intensity down for a week can take the load off your body and give it the opportunity to cross-train and learn new skills. Here the load that you put through your body can be reduced, higher reps and lighter weights and focussing more upon alignment and mobility. You can focus more on yoga and other lower intensity activities such as jogging, swimming and rest.
Here's an example deload week:
Monday: Active recovery - Light yoga or Pilates session focused on mobility and flexibility.
Tuesday: Rest or low-impact activity like swimming or walking.
Wednesday: Short bodyweight strength workout focusing on proper form and technique with minimal weight.
Thursday: Rest or gentle activity like hiking or light cardio.
Friday: Active recovery - Light yoga or foam rolling session.
Weekend: Rest and relaxation! This is a great time to catch up on sleep, spend time with loved ones, or pursue hobbies outside of fitness.
Balancing athleticism with other responsibilities
We often wear many hats – friend, girlfriend, mother, sister, daughter – and it's essential to find balance between our athletic pursuits and other areas of our lives. Being the best version of yourself doesn't just mean achieving personal bests in the gym; it also means showing up as your best self in all aspects of life. Having a balance between these aspects of life so that you have energy to be involved in them all without getting depleted.
Striving for holistic excellence in performance.
True excellence as an athlete isn't just about physical bravery; it's about embodying kindness, gratitude, and balance in everything you do. By nurturing your body, mind, and spirit, you can achieve a level of holistic excellence that transcends personal bests and finishing lines. Applying meditation, breathwork practices and positive self talk can empower you on your journey.
Embrace the Journey
As you continue on your athletic journey, remember to prioritise nurture, kindness, and recovery alongside your training efforts. By acknowledging and respecting all aspects of yourself, you can cultivate a sense of holistic well-being that enhances both your athletic performance and your quality of life.
Here's to being the best version of yourself – in the gym and beyond.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Seema Chopra
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Seema Chopra is a dedicated strength and conditioning coach and speaker, specialising in female athletic performance. With over 14 years of experience, Seema's results-oriented approach empowers athletes to reach their full potential.
She emphasises equipping individuals with the tools to train independently and confidently, fostering autonomy by imparting knowledge and confidence to design and execute effective training programmes outside of formal sessions. Beyond physical training, Seema provides holistic wellness strategies tailored to each client's needs, ensuring long-term health and well-being.
As a passionate speaker, she educates people at all stages of womanhood on exercise considerations, especially young female athletes.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/active_shakti/
Website: http://www.activeshakti.com