It is common knowledge that you need to work out to get fitter and stronger. But to get fitter, stronger, remain injury free and to stay healthy it is helpful to do some “working in” too.
The concept of “working in” can be summed up as gentle full body movements that do not cause you to greatly increase your heart rate or get out of breath (you should be able to do them on a full stomach) and they should involve you being mindful and relaxed.
The idea is to achieve a balance between physical exertion and recovery – helping to restore energy, not always depleting it.
A few general points to bear in mind:
* We only get fitter / stronger when we rest after exercise – known as the super compensation phase. So rest and recovery are vital.
* Exercise can be just another stress on the body which should be born in mind when considering what activity to do. How hectic has your day/week been?
* The harder you exercise the more you need to rest. Fight and flight need to be balanced by rest and digest. Listen to your body – are you tired, finding it difficult to concentrate, suffering from random aches and pains? You may need to “work in”, not work out.
* The concept is relative. You do not have to be an athlete for this to apply. If you have no desire to exercise that is fine, you can still apply the principle. If, for example, you find an activity in the garden very strenuous on one day, make sure you do some more “work in” type activities the next. Or, if work has been stressful and you are exhausted, it may not be the best time to do a heavy session in the gym – do some “work in” movements instead.
Working In:
* Examples include gentle stretching with breathing exercises, easy yoga, tai chi, mindful walking. Basically, any full body movements that are not strenuous to do.
* It does not have to include movement but it is best if it does. But, anything absorbing, creative and with a relaxed focus that will help calm the mind will also assist tissue repair in the body as well.
* Helps to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system – the restorative side of the nervous system.
