Progression. Overload. Over-reaching. Maximal recoverable volume. These are terms I frequent use in my exercise science courses. They relate to physical training—especially strength training, but they have meaning in our pursuit of “well-centered fitness” (Spiritual, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social, as well as Physical fitness). Personal growth requires cycles of training. In exercise science, we refer to this as periodization.
In my physical training, I just started a deload week. This is a planned reduction in the volume and training load to allow for the body to recover and heal after a period of intensive training. It follows the theory of “supercompensation”. Essentially, one cycles training such that the intensity of the exercise increases over a series of weeks, challenging the “maximal recoverable volume—referred to as “over-reaching”. The idea is that one pushes the limits of one’s ability to recover from the quantity of training and follows with a week of significantly reduced training to allow for greater adaptation (i.e., supercompensation).
Sometimes, in pursuit of our goals we need to consider a planned rest period. Vacation. Sabbath. Mental health day. Etc. We can’t push and push and push and expect continued progress.
In our personal growth plan, it is important to back off from time to time. Many religions promote a weekly Sabbath—a day of rest from work. Doing so allows for physical rest and spiritual rejuvenation. I recommend such breaks from work, but also from exercise, diet, etc. Growth-oriented people work hard, and our growth habits take effort and energy. Cycling these like we might periodize exercise makes good sense. Leave six days for exercising and diet. Take one day to relax—to do things that rejuvenate the soul. (If you’re dieting, this doesn’t mean binge. It means take a break from counting calories and macros. Eat—in moderation—some of the foods you might be depriving yourself.)
Allowing one’s self a well-centered deload helps one focus less on what he or she needs to do to accomplish his or her goals and more on what has been accomplished. It allows for a time of reflection. It permits time for others who might be somewhat neglected in one’s pursuit of self-betterment. It serves our Emotional dimension—the keystone of our well-centered fitness.
It has taken me time to adjust to taking deload weeks in my strength training program. I have a tendency to want to keep pushing. It has forced me to take time to rest. I still perform the exercises, but at a significantly reduced load. It has actually helped with my technique and has given me better results. (I am glad I lift weights at home, because my ego would take a hit lifting such light weights in public—ha ha!)
It will likewise take time to adjust to regular deloads in other areas. In the long-run, however, the benefits will be tremendous. Some areas in which to start:
–Take one day off from work each week. Don’t just not go to work. Remove yourself from the stress of work. Relax! Spend time with family and friends.
–Take a ‘15-minute Check-in’ with your spouse or partner. Sit down and share your day, your needs, your feelings, etc. Take 15 minutes to check out from the busy-ness of life and focus on your significant other.
–Set time aside for one-to-one attention on your children.
–Take a 6+1 approach to diet and exercise, as well as your other more strenuous growth plan activities.
–Take one day to do something recreational—to re-create.
–Take a vacation. Inexpensive weekend getaways can be wonderfully refreshing.
–Change your routine.
The possibilities are endless. Just be sure to give yourself a break now and then.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!
