I’ve written about adaptive training and Doug Hepburn [here].
Hepburn had a slow and consistent approach to training. He became one of the strongest guys around, prior to the prolific use of anabolic steroids.
His focus was the long game. His method was excruciatingly simple. Most people get too bored with it and look elsewhere for more bells and whistles.
Interestingly, Hepburn was a proponent of also adopting a mental relaxation program.
Rule number 9 of Hepburn’s 10 Rules for Maximum Strength and Power:
Rule #9: “You need a mental relaxation program. The main reason lifters fail is overtraining.”
Just as a proper training program is needed to get stronger, you need a specific restoration program to recover from your workouts and derive the greatest benefits from training.
Your body doesn’t grow and get stronger while you train, these occur after you train. Having a post-workout shake is only the start of the recovery process.
Take a 30-minute nap after each workout, and you’ll be amazed with the results.
We are increasingly seeing the importance of this today.
While the stimulus isn’t just physical for most, it is environmental and mental-emotional, but is still a limiter for physical adaptation as the physiology for many is being locked into a mild sympathetic state.
A focus on down-regulation isn’t new, it’s just that today’s context of more widespread stimulus has made it more important.
On that note, we are starting our first round of Breathe Fit 4 week Breathing Program tomorrow. This round is full, but if you are interested in finding out more, hit reply!
