Reap What You Sow Fitness

If you are looking for a big bang for buck warm up exercise then Worlds Greatest Stretch is one of my favourites.

It was a travesty when the Jamaican bobsled team went with Cool Runnings over Tallulah. Finally we can put things right.

Goal was never to get back to normal. On a mission to reach new heights of knee ability.

1% better everyday 💪

Fitness testing on the hallowed turf of Anbrook football oval/driving range.

First time pulling 2x bodyweight since the knee op. Slowly starting to gain some confidence.

While I’ve been shearing I am only lifting 1x per week. Focusing on compound movements.

My main emphasis has been on recovery from shearing (fuelling my body, staying hydrated, prioritising sleep and getting in some mobility work).

When it comes to programming your training more does not mean better. You are looking for the optimal dose. The dose that you can recover from that still sends a signal for the body to adapt.

Shearing is a physical stress but things like working nights, kids being sick, going through a breakup, financial troubles etc are also high stressors on the body. Training is a stressor also (a good stress) so if life stress is high smashing yourself in the gym may push you over the threshold of stress that you can recover from. You may make more progress with a lower training volume that you can actually recover from.

Professional athletes that train multiple times a day are elite at recovery and managing stress.

The key takeaway: for every dose of stress you need a dose of recovery. Your training needs to fit in to your life and provide the right dose of stress. Listen to your body, prioritise recovery and when total life stress is low that’s when you go your hardest in the gym.

Reading- a habit that has changed my life. 📚

Getting to work on some fitness content for the people and a pattern has emerged. May need to come up with a couple more sign offs. Give it a crack!

Sleep is nature’s miracle worker. Here are just a few of the benefits of sufficient quality sleep.

-restored capacity for new learning
-consolidation of memories
-increased aerobic output compared to under slept
-decreased risk of injury compared to under slept
- increased heart health

In under slept conditions regulation of hunger/satiety hormones Leptin and Ghrelin are diminished making you more likely to over eat. Along with this weight loss achieved in under slept conditions tends to come more from lean body mass compared to well slept conditions where more of the weight came from body fat. I will address this further down the track.

Here are some tips I’ve implemented to improve my sleep quality thanks to Mathew Walker “Why We Sleep”

1) Regular sleep schedule. I have an alarm set for both bed time and wake up. Our bodies have a natural clock called our circadian rhythm and it loves a regular schedule. Sticking to the same sleep/wake times every day will have it running like a well oiled machine.

2) Dark/Cool room- it doesn’t take much light to trick our bodies into thinking it’s day time so a dark room is best. Our bodies also prefer temperatures on the cool side for optimal sleep

3) No phones in the bedroom- this one has been huge for me. About a year ago I began the habit of sticking my phone on charge in the office before I go to bed. If you are laying in bed not getting to sleep it is so easy to grab your phone, go on a YouTube bender and lose an hour. Also the blue light from your phone tricks the brain into thinking it is daytime, disrupting our circadian rhythm. Staying off your devices at least a half hour before bed is great practice.

4) Morning sunlight- getting outside for half an hour of morning sunlight is great for regulating daily sleep patterns.

5) Caffeine- try to limit your total caffeine intake, it’s best to have none after 3pm. Caffeine can take up to 8 hours to wear off. It is a stimulant and can make it hard to fall asleep.

There are others but these are the main ones that have helped me. Everybody is different so experiment and find what works for you or address the areas you may be neglecting.

Sleep Tight, Robbie 😉

During knee rehab I’ve been jumping on the bike. I was hesitant at first never being much of a cyclist, but I feel it becoming part of my identity.