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Bouncing Back From Sucky Workouts...

Sunday, 24 November 2013 00:10

What To Do When Your Workout Doesn’t Work Out

By Marni Sumbal (ustatriathlon.org)

One of the best parts about sharing an active lifestyle with someone else is seeing each other grow in a sport (or with fitness). We all have great workouts now and then, but they are not always shared with others.

The other day, my husband Karel had an off day on the bike. We did a swim and bike workout and although he had an amazing workout in the pool, he just had no power in legs on the bike. Rather than try to push...

through it, I continued on with the workout as planned and Karel did his own thing which involved soft pedaling and a little drafting off my wheel.

We all have those days when we feel a little off but knowing how to handle those days may be different for all of us. Sometimes it can be easy to modify workouts on a whim, although making smart choices as athletes is not always easy (hence why it is important to have a coach—we all need someone to tell us when to "rest" and not push through).

So what should you do if your workout is just not working out? Here are a few of my tips as to how to bounce back from an off day.

Nutrition

If you are having a nutrition-related off day, identify what went wrong. Generally, going long hours without eating, overeating a large portion (or late at night), eating a large amount of processed food or skimping on balanced meals can contribute to feeling off. Certainly, this is why it is so important to address the daily diet when it comes to performance/fitness as food is our fuel. READ MORE