It can be alluring to fall into the hype of “no days off” and “no pain, no gain”. Most well-educated coaches see these types of sayings and laugh out loud, I know I do. They are comical at best.
The unfortunate thing is that athletes and even parents can quickly be convinced of their validity.
Yes, you need to push yourself and put in the work but that is only a part of the process. Other pieces of the puzzle include scheduled rest, including active and passive rest, and of course one of the most important is proper SLEEP.
Here is the truth which I take for granted that most people know. The magic happens after you put in the work. Physical growth happens not when you are getting after it in the gym or on the ice. That is the stimulus. Growth comes from the RESPONSE.
The RESPONSE happens when rest, get high-quality sleep and fuel yourself with nutrients.
Both stimulus and response are needed for you to be successful. Training all the time without rest will result in overtraining and burnout. Resting all the time will result in, well, nothing.
I hope next time you hear or read “no days off” you can crack a smile and get a good laugh.
– Coach Marty
