Understanding Neural Fatigue

Understanding Neural Fatigue: How Rest and Recovery Can Lead to Record-Breaking Performances.

I remember when one of my athletes texted me, feeling flat and lacking energy, and asked if he should take the day off. "I don’t feel tired, but when I went to run up the stairs, I had nothing in the tank," he said. Athletes often resist taking time off, especially on scheduled training days.

We decided the best course of action was to take two days of rest. This was a big decision for an Olympic athlete. "Are you sure I should have two days off?" he asked. "Yes, I am sure," I replied. "You have classic symptoms of neural fatigue and need 48-72 hours of rest for your system to recover."

Two days later, I got a message: "I just PR’d my cleans today." My reply: "👏💪."

The following day, another message: "I just PB’d my deadlift." My reply: "Two days rest = 2 PBs, who would’ve thought…. 🙂"

Rest = big improvements.

Rest must be treated as an integral part of training. A recovery day is just that—a day for recovery. I love it when athletes give me feedback about how they are feeling. It allows me to adjust their program accordingly and helps with future planning.

Happy Training 😃