A New Perspective on Recovery Days

I was having a conversation with a friend the other day, and we got on the topic of injuries. At 32 years young, I'm by no means old, but some days I certainly feel it. Whether it's a bulging disc accompanied by sciatica, shoulder pain from who knows what, or a pinched nerve in my neck, there's always something bugging me. This got me thinking: if I could go back in time and tell my younger self one thing (besides not to sell my Facebook stock), it would be that not only is mobility and recovery important for injury prevention, it can actually be more of a challenge than your crazy workouts.

The Importance of Recovery

While I always knew the importance of recovery and mobility, I didn't see how doing less could be beneficial. How could walking slowly for an hour and then spending an hour stretching and working on mobility drills help with the #gainz? After-all, wouldn’t I be better off doing another full-body workout for two hours until I felt like puking?

A Shift in Perspective

But what if we looked at recovery days or sessions as mental challenges rather than as not working hard? Consider this: what is more of a challenge? Doing a two-hour workout and pushing myself physically (which I'm completely used to), or forcing myself to do an hour of stretching and mobility exercises (which I absolutely hate) with no music, focusing only on my breathing and trying to relax my body as much as possible?

For me, the answer is clear. I'd much rather push myself physically for two hours than sit quietly and stretch. Even though an intense two-hour workout that burns 1,200 calories might seem more challenging to the outside observer, I can tell you that the slow, relaxing stretching session is the one I dread the most.

With this perspective shift, I was able to find common ground between my all or nothing mindset and my body’s need for recovery.

Embracing Recovery and Mobility

So, if I could go back and tell my younger self anything, it would be this: change your perspective on recovery days to see them as a challenge, not as a day off.

In the end, the true challenge lies in balancing intense workouts with proper recovery and mobility practices. It's about recognizing that sometimes, doing “less” can actually require more discipline. So next time you're planning your workout routine, remember to schedule in some mobility and recovery days, and try to change your perspective to one that sees these days as the more challenging days, not a day off.