Why you should take a holiday from training.
Recently I’ve had the privilege of enjoying my summer holiday in Italy. Whilst my holidays are quite active, I also love nothing more than lounging by the pool, exploring new places and enjoying the local food and wine. However, many people worry about taking a break from training, fearing it will ‘set them back’. Here I will tell you why it won’t and why you absolutely should take a holiday from training… least of all to ensure your body has the time it needs to recover, adapt, and come back stronger!
For many of my clients, taking time away from training, potentially in the middle of competition season, means worrying that you could lose some of those hard earned gains.
Firstly, you need to take time for recovery and healing. Every day in training, we put our bodies through large amounts of stress and force, so it is really important we give them time to recover, repair and adapt. Continuous training without adequate rest can lead to overtraining and hinder adaptations and muscle growth. This over training can then go on to cause injuries and illness. Therefore taking appropriate rest helps to prevent strains, sprains, and stress fractures.
Because overtraining can also cause plateaus in your performance, a strategic break or holiday, allows your body to recover and can lead to improved performance when you do return to the gym. The rest allows the body to adapt better to the stress of training, potentially leading to greater strength gains and power outputs when you resume your training.
Overtraining and long periods of intense training can also suppress your immune system. Taking breaks, and that well earned summer vacay, can help maintain a robust immune response. It can also rebalance your hormones, improving your mood, sleep, and overall health!
Giving your mind time to recover is just as important as your body. Constantly pushing yourself in training, especially alongside a busy work and family schedule, can lead to a strain on your mental health and longer term, can lead to burnout. Taking a break can help rejuvenate your motivation for training and enthusiasm for your next phase.
If you’re strict on your nutrition when you’re training, taking a break from this too and allowing yourself to indulge in some local cuisine, wine or gelato can give you a rush of endorphins in a different way, boosting your mood but also meaning you don’t have fomo!
If, like me, you find it hard to stop physical activity altogether, you might find solace in cross training. Exploring the local area by bike, swimming, hiking, paddle boarding and snorkelling are great activities to try when you’re on holiday and they break the monotony of training and will also help promote overall fitness.
In summary, there are lots of benefits to taking a holiday from training. If you make sure that you have a robust plan to come back to, you will reap the rewards both mentally and physically!