As a coach I’d suggest this is the part that many people struggle with.  To optimize your fitness you need to train hard enough, frequently enough, with enough intensity and volume to challenge your current capacity thus stimulating positive adaptations.  Many folks just do not know how to push themselves outside their comfort zone or just don’t do so with the frequency and consistency required to sustain adaptations.

The other half of the population seems determined to destroy themselves chasing the endorphin rush of frequent intensity and always hard charging past their performance thresholds with little respect or consideration for the recovery needs of their bodies.

It seems for athletes that the hardest thing is finding the balance between those two extremes, learning to push yourself to stimulate adaptations and then recovering adequately to optimize those gains.  It’s a balance I am just beginning to understand for myself and it’s something that I think the Original Strength program has helped me a lot with.  This fitness journey is after all a journey of learning to navigate and understand your body.  Learn to push it to perform but don’t break it on the deadly rocks of ambition and stubborn determination.  Learn to listen to your body and work with it.  It sounds all mysterious but really it is learning how to read your own neurology.  Everything you need to know is right there.

I’ve come up with my own tests to see where I’m at on any given day but strength coach Christian Thibaudeau offers a very comprehensive detailed article on the subject that is well worth your time if you are committed to developing a safe, effective and sustainable fitness practice.  And by the way, it’s no coincidence that I’m publishing this on a make up day.  It’s your day to choose, choose wisely.

Tuesday Make Up Day
1. Fran
21-15-9
Thrusters 65/95
Pull- ups

2. Bike-Burpee-row interval
20 sec cal bike, 10 sec rest
20 sec burpees, 10 sec rest
20 sec row, 40 sec rest
20 sec row , 10 sec rest
20 sec burpee, 10 sec rest
20 sec bike, 40 sec rest
(come prepared with something to write on)

3. OHS-Front Squat- Back Squat
OHS
1-1-1-1-1
Front Squat
1-1-1-1-1
Back Squat
1-1-1-1-1

4. EMOM power snatch & OHS
20 Min EMOM
3 power snatches
3 OHS