Train Hard...Rest Harder...

I found out how important recovery was years ago when I looked at response rates from a sound training program, with and without the inclusion of critical recovery time (off) from effective training.

I learned from experimenting with my own training, some other trainers I coached and dozens of my clients’ training, and came to a pretty consistent finding of how many days of exercise (intense) per week were seemingly most effective for a progressive response from High Intensity Exercise.

And, it always came down to 2-3 days per week (8-12 workouts per month).

I will be honest with you…

Those numbers are on the HIGH side of frequency to attain some substantial gains from training.

I say that because of personal evidence with my own HITraining and some research I found that suggests that most fitness enthusiasts GROSSLY overestimate their body’s ability to recover from strenuous exercise.

Here is just one of the sources I looked at.

In Neuromechanical Basis of Kinesiology (second edition) Roger M. Enoka, PhD (Human Kinetics) p.279 "Delayed-onset muscle soreness is most pronounced at 24-48 hr after exercise. Although there is evidence of structural damage immediately after exercise, significant changes also occur in the days after exercise (Howell, Chleboun, & Conatser, 1993). From 4hr to 4 days after the exercise, there is an increase in phagocytic activity, which marks the presence of an inflammatory response. Because of this association in time, it has been suggested that delayed-onset muscle soreness is a consequence of the inflammatory response (Stauber, 1989).
However, the consequences of strenuous exercise, especially eccentric contractions, are not confined to a few days after exercise; MRI studies have indicated marked swelling of injured muscles (normal with effective excercise) for up to 10 days and increased signal intensity for up to 60 days after exercise (Fleckenstein & Shellock, 1991; Shellock, Fukunaga, Mink, & Edgerton, 1991b).

Hey, this stuff just jacks me up.I just hope this shows you some evidence(I have SO much more to support my reasoning) of why I find it absolutely ESSENTIAL for introducing a RECOVERY PHASE in your Matt Jennings Boot Camps Program that is based in science, as well as on my belief in the BRIEF, INTENSE, INFREQUENT... REPEAT exercise concept.

But... RECOVERY does not mean do nothing. It would better be described as ACTIVE RECOVERY. And this is what I mean by AR...

While you are in your ACTIVE RECOVERY phase, try to get out and do a few new and fun things that you might have put off that will keep you active while your body does it’s innate “thing” and, ultimately expresses your new level of strength and fitness from all of your HARD WORK!

Here are a few on my list:

1. Mountain Bike or hike. Two local places to go are Allaire State Park (Wall) and Hartshorne Woods 300 Navesink Avenue, Locust, NJ (Buttermilk Valley Entrance)

2. Barefoot Beach Walk. . Nothing like kickin’ off the ‘kicks’ and going for a long, deep sand walk…awesome! Your feet and calves will light up, baby !

3. Learn how to surf. A buddy of mine and one of the best east coast surfers (Sam Hammer) has a kick butt, local surfing school. You can contact Sam at SAMHAMMER79@GMAIL.COM or call 732.966.6430. (Sam is one of the nicest and most humble pro athletes you will ever meet…)

Consider some of these ideas. I know you probably have a much larger list of ideas, and I would love if you shared some . It might get me and my family to try some new things that we may have not considered.

Thanks-Peace & God bless
Matt

It Comes Down to This...Every Time...

Last week a buddy of mine was at one of my boot camp classes, and he out of the blue just busted out a quote: "Discipline is remembering what you want". I just responded with a big "Yeah, BROTHA...Damn good quote!" That either set a tone for some or had no effect at all; but, I thought the quote was worth while memorizing...so I have. Then, that same night I was reading an article about University of Alabama's Head Foot Ball Coach, Nick Saban,(they hold 13 national titles)and this guy was just throwing all kinds of great quotes through out the article that would most definitely have an impact on anyone who desires to take their game or LIFE to the next level.

Here are a few of his quotes...

"Alot of guys talk about maintaining," "That just doesn't exist here(at University of Alabama)"... "You never stay the same. You either get better, or you get worse."


"How you do anything is how you do everything"
(That one just says it all in my eyes...a bad ass quote, NO DOUBT!)

And finally, these are the three words that Coach Saban makes every player expunge from their vocabulary-
CAN'T.
HOT.
TIRED.
(Alright, I get it...not bad. Great athletes do not whine.)


(This one is not from coach Saban, but it deserves a place right here along the others.)
It is something I remember my dad saying to me years ago. I was 19 and I took a leave of absence from college to prepare and compete for the Teen National Bodybuilding Championships. One day before I took off for the gym my dad pulled me aside and said, "Son, I reckon we are all gonna' be here for a relatively short stay and dead for a very long time. So, anytime you get a chance to kick ass and set your mark here in this life... you better KICK ASS!"

I am not exactly sure why he chose that particular moment to share that idea with me, but, I am sure that day's workout was "BRUTAL BY VOLITION"(Cool...I just made that up) and most definitely effective! I still pull up my dad's "Kick Ass" quote everytime I am confronted with an opportunity to bust out of my comfort zone and accomplish something worthwhile.

By the way I did make good on the advice my father gave me back in 1985. I won the heavyweight Teen USA and National Bodybuilding Championships. It became abundantly clear to me early on that the three things you MUST have to achieve anything worthwhile is DISCIPLINE, PASSION and a relentless... unshakable BELIEF in your abilities to do WHATEVER YOU WANT! And in the end you can and should EXPECT VICTORY!
EXPECT...BELIEVE...ACHIEVE!