Sue, Ottawa Firefighter, works the deadlift.
Rest Day.
Some say there is no such thing as overtraining, only under recovery. CrossFit espouses working hard, intensely, but at a lower volume than many other programmes.
If you don't think about recovery - you won't. Try rating your workouts' difficulty on a scale of 1 - 10 in your journal. Now try Dan John's recovery point scale (actually I think he credits Lonnie Lowery for this):
Sleep: 3 points >8 hrs. 2 points 6-8 hours. 1 point for less than 6 hours. less than 4 hrs? no points. An hour before midnight is better than an hour after midnight. (3)
Fuel: 2 points for breakfast. 1 point for two more meals, 1 point for two snacks. (4)
Play time: did you have fun today? Laugh? Chat with friends? One point (1)
Alone time: 'me' time, time with your thoughts. not on the internet or watching TV. Reading is good. One point. (1)
Relationships. Things were harmonious at work and at home? One point. Fights, conflicts? No points, maybe even negative points. (1)
If you are consistently recording your recovery score and it's lower than your workout score - you are on the road to injury, illness, and overtraining. Listen to your emotions and your gut - not enthusiastic about working out today? Then just play, have fun, read a book, take a bath, enjoy a nice glass of scotch or wine, and go to bed early.
