Too Tired to Train

How it feels to follow the principals of "Dynamic-Tension®"
curdog
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Too Tired to Train

Post by curdog »

The thread on the Perpetual Lesson got me to thinking about a problem I have had for the past few days. I have been exhausted. Work has been demanding, but I don't think that is the problem. I think I have been drifting into the "No Pain No Gain" mentality instead of the Atlas "Don't Strain Just Train" philosophy.

I was so tired that I would fall asleep if I sat too long. I just couldn't exercise. My heart pounded just from walking up the stairs. My back hurt. I was just worn out. I had to rest for two days, and even then I didn't feel like working out.

Its funny, though. Once I started working out my tiredness left.

I don't think this would have happened if I had not pushed myself so hard.

I am, after all, fifty. I can't exercise like I did when I was twenty.

I watched an interview with a forty-something women olympic swimmer (silver medal). She said that she learned that rest, recuperation, and stretching were the keys to competition at her age. She couldn't do the same things that she did at twenty and expect to win.

Anyway, I'm glad I have recovered and will try to keep the Atlas principles better in the future.
Bridge
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Re: Too Tired to Train

Post by Bridge »

Yes, we have to pace ourselves as we get older. We all should remember also, that our strength and endurance may vary from day to day, depending on the demands that life makes of us, so on one day we might be able to do a lot more reps than on other days. The main thing to remember is to do what Atlas has instructed us, "train don't strain, so we must listen to our bodies and stop when the body gives us the stop signal. We should alway stretch after exercising, and if possible before exercising as well. This is especially important as we age.
emfermi
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Re: Too Tired to Train

Post by emfermi »

Stretching is very important, even for young guys (I am currently 28 years old, but I'm about to turn 29 nest week). When I was in college and used to practice jogging (like 6 years ago), I used to stretch before and after my daily jog. I noticed that I had a much better endurance when I had previously stretched and was never sore when I stretched after exercise. Of course at that time I could go by without stretching, but I was better off doing it. I guess that as we age, stretching goes from a "would be helpful" to a "must be done".

By the way, I once read an article written by Mr. Atlas when he was in his middle forties which consisted only of stretching exercises for daily practice. Charles Atlas appeared in his leopard skin trunks explaining every exercise.
Bridge
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Re: Too Tired to Train

Post by Bridge »

Atlas said to train don't strain. Recent studies of the central nervous system show that if we strain ourselves exercising, we could literally drain our body, not being able to sleep properly, losing orientation, and possibly damaging internal organs. We should not go all out every workout, this leads to burnout and worse.
SPEARHEAD
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Re: Too Tired to Train

Post by SPEARHEAD »

Always listen to your body.
Henry Marczak
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Re: Too Tired to Train

Post by Henry Marczak »

Strange that when trying to gain muscle by eating more I was always knackered, then I wanted to trim my waist to 31" and went on a more regular healthy diet with normal portions and not over feed. I got my 31" lean fat free waist that is ripped and now feel very energetic, I work on a building site 8 hours a day and put in 8 hours of martial arts each week, home practice of the martial arts and weapon forms plus Dynamic Tension and still feel energized. My diet is less focused on meat, I eat meat but also vegetarian alternatives. I was watching a British TV show "You Are What You Eat" and most of the people who eat less meat and junk food become more energized.
emfermi
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Re: Too Tired to Train

Post by emfermi »

No wonder thar Mr. Atlas advises to eat only when hungry and not eating more that you can enjoy, besides having a balanced diet and avoiding sugar, white flour and fatty foods. ;)
Bridge
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Re: Too Tired to Train

Post by Bridge »

The Atlas Course is a work of genius, with the best exercise system, and good nutritional advice. complete within itself, which is why it is still selling today after more than 80 years on the market. The Atlas admonition to train and don't strain is why you can train twice a day, every day, without burning yourself out, so different than the advice offered by so many other "fitness experts", with the "no pain, no gain" mantra.
curdog
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Re: Too Tired to Train

Post by curdog »

I thought I'd give you a follow-up on this, since I sent the original post.

I went to the doctor last week because I thought I was having blood sugar problems. Again, very tired. He asked how much coffee drank. I told him. I also told him I had had lots of ice cream just before this latest episode of tiredness set in. Here is a summary of what I was told:

1. Coffee / Cafeine stimulates the production of insulin, thus, lowering blood sugar (which causes the tired feeling).

2. Loads of sugar demand the production of insulin. Even when the sugar is consumed the insulin is still there and, thus, lowers blood sugar.

3. Loads of sugar and coffee at the same time -- double trouble.

I have tried to do a better job of following Atlas' diet instructions and am feeling better.

Atlas was so ahead of his time.
Henry Marczak
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Re: Too Tired to Train

Post by Henry Marczak »

Sometimes I think its all in the mind, I work on a building site and sometimes think I'm too beat and think about skipping, but if something makes me go, like the wife saying I can have the car or it's belt rank testing and I need to practice for it, and go, then I realize it was my mind. After class I'm energetic and stay up later, end up getting the best sleep ever and feel great in the morning. Just start doing your workout and maybe you start to liven up, I know after work I feel like just sitting back and watching the TV but there's lots of time for that.
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