Guys, why don't you take it easy...
As men, often when we train we focus on lifting big weights, training at a high intensity, and pushing ourselves to our limits. While there is a time and place for this sort of training, we also need to balance this out with other forms of training which help the body to recover for these high intensity bouts of activity.
I have had a guest blogger write about the benefits of massage previously, a method of recovery which I put great value in. If you are interested, you can read about it here.
Another form of training I have been using for a while now and highly recommend for guys especially is Pilates. I work one on one with Carolyn from Pilates by Design. I began doing Pilates because I have had tight hips for a while now, and during my Krav Maga training I found it difficult to get my round kicks high enough.
Pilates has helped me to loosen up my hips and as a result get my kicks up to chest height (the plan is for them to get to head height, but one step at a time!). I highly recommend Pilates to all my clients, especially my male ones as like I mentioned above, we tend to focus on the higher intensity training, and Pilates makes a good balance to this.
A good Pilates instructor will assess how well you move ,and whether you have particular goals in mind for your training. They will then take you through exercises designed to fix imbalances, strengthen underworked muscle groups, and loosen muscle groups which have tightened as a result of overuse or injury.
Pilates will also give you a great workout in general. I firmly believe that anyone who says Pilates is easy hasn't tried it before, or had a coach who took it easy on them! While the exercises may be slower in motion and lower in intensity than a high intensity interval training session, the concentration and focus required is a lot higher.
So have a look at your training schedule and consider whether you need to add some lower intensity days to your programme. I highly recommend taking it easier on some days to allow your body to recover and correct any imbalances that you may have.
I have had a guest blogger write about the benefits of massage previously, a method of recovery which I put great value in. If you are interested, you can read about it here.
Another form of training I have been using for a while now and highly recommend for guys especially is Pilates. I work one on one with Carolyn from Pilates by Design. I began doing Pilates because I have had tight hips for a while now, and during my Krav Maga training I found it difficult to get my round kicks high enough.
Pilates has helped me to loosen up my hips and as a result get my kicks up to chest height (the plan is for them to get to head height, but one step at a time!). I highly recommend Pilates to all my clients, especially my male ones as like I mentioned above, we tend to focus on the higher intensity training, and Pilates makes a good balance to this.
A good Pilates instructor will assess how well you move ,and whether you have particular goals in mind for your training. They will then take you through exercises designed to fix imbalances, strengthen underworked muscle groups, and loosen muscle groups which have tightened as a result of overuse or injury.
Pilates will also give you a great workout in general. I firmly believe that anyone who says Pilates is easy hasn't tried it before, or had a coach who took it easy on them! While the exercises may be slower in motion and lower in intensity than a high intensity interval training session, the concentration and focus required is a lot higher.
So have a look at your training schedule and consider whether you need to add some lower intensity days to your programme. I highly recommend taking it easier on some days to allow your body to recover and correct any imbalances that you may have.
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