JORIAN HOLKA
Special to The Leader
In part two of this column, the benefits of weight training and the basic guidelines governing how to do so were reviewed.
However, it is a well-known fact that one’s habits, not only in the gym but outside of it as well, play a major role in his/her goal attainment. In the fitness world, “recovery” is the broad term used to describe everything one does that positively contributes to his/her body’s reparation processes.
The manner in which muscle grows and/or becomes stronger is as follows: resistance training causes microscopic tears in skeletal muscle tissue (the extent of which typically determines one’s soreness) that are soon after repaired by the body’s natural processes, thereby creating stronger/larger muscles. And, although the body will repair the torn fibers on its own, there are many things one can do in order to expedite and enhance the processes that do so.
First and foremost, be sure to incorporate at least two to three periodically-spaced rest days into your weekly weight-training schedule. Doing so will give your body a chance to adapt to the training you have put it through by it gaining strength, power and endurance. Furthermore, regular rest days will give your body systems
(musculoskeletal, immune, nervous, etc.) a chance to recover from the effects training has upon them.
However, it is naive to believe that one’s rest day must consist solely of rest. In fact, there are numerous things one can do in order to improve the quality of his/her rest days, such as cardio, stretching and anything else that works to promote the circulation of blood throughout the body. Such activities and the resulting augmented blood flow will work to shuttle oxygen and necessary nutrients to the muscles that need repairing, thereby increasing the speed of recovery. However, remember to keep your activity level at a reasonable level — your goal is not to further break down muscle tissue, but rather to expedite the restoration of it. Furthermore, keep in mind that not everything has to be done in a gym — activities such as sports, hiking, biking and jogging can all be employed on rest days to promote recovery in a different environment!
Secondly, be sure to keep your food intake consistent. In other words, don’t eat less on your rest days because you feel as if you should since you won’t be burning as many calories training that day. In order to rebuild the torn muscle tissue and restore your body to its optimal state, your body requires the same amount of calories, macronutrients and micronutrients as it does on training days.
Finally, always remember to drink the proper amount of water for your body type and training style. According to bodybuilding.com, as an incredibly general rule of thumb, multiply your bodyweight by 0.55 in order to calculate the minimum number of ounces of water you should drink each day. However, depending on your training schedule and intensity, you may require more.
It is a well known fact that drinking the appropriate amount of water each day can be tiring/annoying for some. If you find yourself in such a situation, simply remind yourself of the numerous facts regarding water and the benefits of acquiring enough water each day.
First off, water comprises roughly 80 percent of the human body and is required for the execution of almost every bodily function including digestion, circulation, nutrient absorption, waste excretion, chemical reactions and cooling. In addition, staying properly hydrated will help to boost your metabolism, burn fat, excrete excess subcutaneous fluid (i.e. “water weight”), control your appetite, improve your endurance, improve your mood, reduce fatigue, improve cognitive functioning and more. Staying hydrated should be a no-brainer considering the numerous benefits of doing so.
Considering that this is the last edition of this column prior to winter break, have a happy holiday season with your family and friends, and be sure to start putting some of the given advice into practice!