What is the true physical limit of the human body? As an active individual I like to humor myself by proclaiming its capabilities limitless, but we all know this is a farce, and no matter how superman-like we feel after leaving the gym, we eventually need to take a pause for recovery.
I scroll through the motivational posts of the trainers, fighters, and athletes I follow on Instagram, noting how much physical activity they put into each week, and I can’t help but think that I am not pushing myself enough– that I haven’t truly reached my limit.
One chick that I follow on Instagram does weight training, Muay Thai, Crossfit and yoga. She’s a personal trainer and is f***ing shredded. I work out 5-6 times a week (half Muay Thai training, half weight training) and by mid week my body is “strung out”, causing my athletic performance/technique for the rest of the week to be… subpar. Why? After turning this problem over and over in my head I can only determine one culprit:
M E N T A L E X H A U S T I O N
I think we can all agree that the mind is one of the most powerful tools in our body. It’s the factor that ultimately determines whether you push through to the finish line or hang back in the dust of failure. When your head isn’t in it, your body isn’t either- no vice versa.
I’m finding not only is it important to have a positive mindset, but also to have a well rested mind (hello Captain Obvious..). This means adequate sleep and a good stress management system.
I’d like to think that I can lift in the morning, go to work, train for Muay Thai, and hang out with my friends/go on a date all in one day– which is basically what I have been doing for the past 2 years- but 5 hours of sleep really just doesn’t cut it. Yes, I can function living like this, but not to my fullest potential. What’s the point in putting the effort in if I’m not going to reap all the benefits?
As mentioned in previous posts, I am absolutely terrible at managing stress. Lack of sleep is probably a contributing factor.. so is my job, but that is a topic for another day. The point is, I am making a commitment to myself to treat my body & mind right and give it the adequate rest it needs so I can kick ass like Superman.
red_rumson 