As Prescribed Volume 8

Coaches Corner With Chandra Smith

Making the Most Out of a Bad Training Day

If you’re like me, sometimes the best part of your day is getting in a great training session at the gym…that perfect hour when you get to turn your thoughts off, put your head down, and get to work. For me getting in some quality time at the “bar” after a long day keeps my mind straight, plus it sets me up for a successful week both at work and at home.

However, we’ve all had one of those days when the “therapy session” is just off? It doesn’t matter how great you’ve set up your day everything could be on point: food, rest, and life; yet, you’re in the middle of the WOD (or lifting, or working on a skill) and you feel like you can’t do anything right.

So…what do you do when you feel yourself wanting to kick your shoe off and throw it into the wall?

Check your perspective. When you’ve had a chance to get your mind right remember why you are training. Think about your goals, and remember the big picture: lifelong health. While training for specifics can be fun, overall great health is what we are all really after in the end. Also, reflect on where you were when you started. Even if it was only yesterday, you’ve already made progress…you came to the gym two days in a row! Take a few seconds and make sure that your goals are in line with your reason why, and that they are attainable? If not…readjust.

We all know that getting a grip on it isn’t always in the cards when you’re in the thick of an attack, but you can still find success in your workout. Stop for a second, take a deep breath, and try one of these:

• Instead of trying to break records be satisfied with getting the work done. It doesn’t have to be impressive…it doesn’t need to fast…you just need to finish. Sometimes plain old grunt work is best…slow, steady, and focused. Use this time to work on your mental game, and keep your form in check.

• Change the work…don’t be afraid to ask your coach for a different modification option. Maybe there is a skill in the WOD that you’re already mad about, the work is more than you can handle on that particular day, or you know it will flare an injury you’re nursing. If any of these are true, know that there is absolutely no shame in modifying the workout…everyone scales at some point…everyone!

• Just stop. No one ever wants to quit. In fact most of us in the gym are not wired that way. You won’t hear this from me often, but there are times when it’s ok to walk away. Sometimes your headspace really does need a break…find a roller, do some mobility, and work on that self-reflection.

To sum up there are two things: check your perspective and do something different (pick one of the three above), these two seemingly small changes will have a huge impact in your training. Finding a way to make the most of your bad training day will add some serious mental skills to your game.

Finding Balance – Coach Josh Brown

As we finish up the first ever Ripcord Nutrition Challenge, many of you are probably wondering “What do I do next?” The best option is to transition to what I like to call a maintenance phase. This means you should try and maintain your current body weight. Why maintenance though? Most of you used this challenge as an opportunity to diet and lose weight. During a diet, you are at an imbalance. Over time your body gets tired and weight loss gets even more difficult as your body slows its metabolism. Dieting is also mentally stressful. As this stress builds up, it gets harder to stay on track. Maintenance will help your body “reset” and prepare you for future body composition goals.

As you enter maintenance, you should slowly add calories back in. Slowly is the key word here. Your body needs time to adjust to more food. If you are not careful you will go right back to your old weight. It takes time for your body to transition to this new set point. The set point is the weight at which your body likes to stay close to. If you maintain weight properly over a period of 8-12 weeks, your body will get more comfortable at its new weight. Over time you will feel less hungry and less fatigued.

Patience is key here. If you still have weight to lose, do not continue to try and lose more. A period of maintenance will help your body recover and better prepare you for another round of dieting. It may take longer to reach your goals, but you will more easily be able to maintain at your new weight in the future.

Now, just because the challenge is over, this is not an invitation to have a free for all. Still focus on consuming lean proteins, healthy monounsaturated fats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. If you go back to your old ways of eating, it will just add more stress to you when you realize you lost all this weight for nothing. Do relax a bit and eat fun foods on occasion. Do not mindlessly eat whatever you want. Do continue to make wise decisions about your food choices. Do not stress about needing to eat “clean” all the time. Maintenance is the time to find that balance. It’s okay to have a scoop of ice cream for dessert when you have eaten well the rest of the day, or even week. Enjoy time with family and friends.

From the RP Blog “Everything You Need to Know About Maintenance” by Nick Shaw:  The important thing to remember is that the end goal of the process of maintenance is to find yourself living a balanced life: a life where you are not constantly concerned with weighing, measuring, and thinking about food; a life where you are not avoiding social engagements that involve food and drink; a life where you can have popcorn at the movies, wine with a nice dinner, an impulse candy treat once in awhile. You are aiming to live a life where guilt and food are never associated, where you eat healthy, normal portions most of the time, but occasionally get the least healthy thing on the menu just because it sounds good.