I ask a lot of my body. On a big day of surfing, I鈥檓 up before 5 am and can be in the water for six hours鈥攁nd that might be after a week or two of high activity. The extreme conditions demand an excessive amount of output, and if I鈥檓 coming into that with already-depleted reserves, I鈥檒l emerge from the water totally spent. Recovery days are critical to my training, and that holds true for any athlete. Here鈥檚 how to determine if you need a break and how to make the most of the time off.聽
Listen to Your Body
Though I try to take a rest day once a week, I let my workload and how I鈥檓 feeling dictate my routine. I know I need downtime when I don鈥檛 have any high energy left to tap. Overall, my senses feel dulled and I lack my normal acuteness and focus. If I have an intense surf session and I鈥檝e taxed my system, one day isn鈥檛 going to be sufficient for me to reload. In that case, I might take an extra day off and reduce my training for a few days after that.
Fill Up the Tank
I normally have a calorie-packed mushroom coffee for breakfast and a big lunch and dinner. But when I鈥檓 resting, I鈥檒l make a point to eat more than usual, adding in an extra meal or a few nutritious snacks. When I鈥檓 operating at a high activity level for days on end, I actually lose my appetite. When I slow it down my appetite returns, and I end up hungrier on low-activity days than I do on high-output ones. Because my body is trying to repair muscle, I鈥檓 going to need more nutrients. I make sure I鈥檓 hydrating, and I鈥檓 careful to eat a wide range of foods that really complement recovery, like fresh fruits and vegetables.
Don鈥檛 Go Cold Turkey
Even when I鈥檓 exhausted, I still try to add some gentle activity into my day. If I鈥檓 totally sedentary, my sore muscles stiffen up. I want to create blood flow, because it helps me recover. Normally, I鈥檒l take a walk or do some kind of stretching鈥攎aybe not an intense power-yoga sequence but a longer, mellower class. I don鈥檛 want to stress my body in any way, so I鈥檒l pass up deep dynamic moves for gentle static ones that keep my heart rate down.
Remember to Breathe
Breath work is an everyday practice for me, and it鈥檚 an excellent restorative tool. On my down days, I take extra time to do breathing meditations that calm me and help me recuperate. Extending your inhale and exhale helps drop your body into parasympathetic mode, meaning your anxious fight-or-flight impulses become reduced. I do many types of nose-breathing meditations, but you don鈥檛 need to be an expert or follow a strict routine. Box breaths are a good place to start: extend your inhales and exhales to seven seconds each, with a seven-second hold in between. As long as you bring consciousness to your breath and follow a pattern, you鈥檒l benefit.聽
Get Some Work Done
Rest days are the perfect opportunity for bodywork. I fill the time I鈥檇 typically spend training with restorative practices, like acupuncture and massage, and plenty of heat and ice therapy. I like intense soft-tissue work. Most importantly, you have to find someone whose work you believe in.
Zone Out
A sore body is an obvious sign that I need to rest, but my brain needs time to rebound, too. Focus fatigue is definitely the hardest for me to bounce back from. When I鈥檓 mentally and emotionally exhausted, it might take weeks before I feel like I鈥檓 back to my normal acuity and my reserves of willpower have returned. My favorite strategy is to turn my mind off with something entertaining. I鈥檒l lie down and watch something, be a spectator. Good sleep is also critical. When you dial back your activity, it鈥檚 easy to feel wired come nighttime. I鈥檓 careful to avoid caffeine late in the day and make sure I have a cool, dark place to sleep鈥攁nd a down pillow.聽