"Are you a professional athlete?

Semi-professional?

What about a really really dedicated amateur?

Chances are, those of you reading this blog are more likely of the recreational, weekend warrior variety fitness enthusiast. Certainly much more dedicated and focused on your health and performance goals than the average gym-goer, BUT, unlike the pro athlete, you also have to juggle more responsibilities – a stressful job with long hours, family life, time with your kids and spouse, house renovations, mortgage payments, brand new babies, business hassles, employee troubles, tax bills, school tuition…… the list goes on.

So what then, makes you think you can train as hard as the athletes who inspire you? They get the luxury of an hour to warmup before training, an hour afterwards to stretch, while they sip on their sponsored recovery drink, then it’s off for a good meal (also probably sponsored and ready made for them), followed by a nap, before doing it all again.

If there is even the hint of an ache, pain or niggle, the athlete is off to their chiro/osteo/physio/massage therapist for treatment (yep, also probably sponsored…), and spending another hour of their free time working on soft tissue release and band assisted mobility.

The weekend warrior meanwhile, has another coffee and soldiers on……

In a way, us recreational fitnessers need to work harder for a lot less return proportionately.

A saying we have around here is, “match tension to task”. Referring to the amount of bracing you need to lift a given load with perfect efficiency.

Well you should also match your training intensity, volume, load, frequency and mental focus to the tasks you have to deal with on a given week. When it’s a tough week at work, or the baby is keeping you up, your training drops from 5 days to 3-4, perhaps you get in a few good sets of squats and leave the more intense conditioning piece alone that day (many of you are embracing the PLUS options available), or just talk to the coach and they will create something that matches your needs), and then on an easier week, or perhaps during a few days off, we might see you in here more regularly, well rested and well fed, chaffing at the bit to do some hard work.

Don’t attempt the same training load as the pro if you’re unable to follow any of the recovery practices.

The result is plateaued progress, boredom, burnout or worse, injury.

Unlike the professionals who have unlimited time to train and recover, you need to work harder than them.

But not in the gym. Rather, in your planning and preparation to make the most of the time you have available. And just as importantly, to make the tough decisions to take it easy when you need to."

Darren Ellis, Crossfit New Zealand.

TRAINING FEBRUARY 17th