The fitness world is a weird place these days.
It feels caught between "go hard or go home/CrossFit-til-you-die/HIIT-all-day-every-day" and "be kind to yourself/rest is best/be a self care queen".... you know what I mean?
And while both of these philosophies have their place (I love an intense treadmill sesh and a bed day as much as the next squash/gym rat), simply flitting between these two strategies isn't sustainable or productive.
There's actually a massive range in between "zero and hero" that is sustainable, enjoyable, practical, and most importantly: leaves you feeling BETTER than before.
Today I'm debunking 3 myths to help you understand this "middle zone", which is where most of training takes place.
1. You think that every session needs to be super intense to be effective
I'm talking puke-in-the-bucket max heart rate intensity sort of workout. This is SO not necessary for fitness or weight loss gains.
If you're an athlete, should some sessions be (close to) maximal intensity? Yes- but if you're finding yourself skipping sessions because you're frightened of this, or you can't work yourself up to pushing yourself 100% every time, it's best to scale back your intensity so you can be consistent.
You shouldn't feel absolutely crap about yourself every session. End of.
2. You avoid training because you think if a session isn't 30+ minutes it's not "real" workout
Again, with zero or hero mindset. If you are already at an intermediate/advanced fitness level and looking to really improve your aerobic fitness, sessions should aim to be longer than 30 minutes.
But if you're currently at a beginner stage of aerobic fitness (hey, we all need to rebuild from somewhere...), or at the stage where showing up and consistency is the main issue- then 20-30 minutes is an amazing sweet spot. It's enough to get you those fitness gains without costing you a ton of energy or requiring a massive time commitment.
Whether it's a straight up cardio session, mobility/flexibility routine, or strength workout, getting your joints and muscles moving and/or and elevating your heart rate for 20-30 minutes is enough to get the blood flowing, promote regeneration, and feel those endorphins!
3. You always rest if you are tired or sore
This is where the "listen to your body" advice can be hard to apply. Again, there are levels to movement. If you can adopt a moderate and lenient approach, you will start to appreciate that gentle to moderate movement is actually helpful in combatting fatigue and soreness.
However, the duration, intensity, and type of exercise you do plays a massive role in how you feel during and afterwards. Doing too much can leave you feeling physically worse, drain your energy, and leave you feeling defeated. However, doing the right amount of exercise and intensity can have the opposite effect and have you feeling better than before!
It can be hard to get the balance right (in fact, I still struggle with this), but having a longterm approach and an appreciation for the process helps loads.
That, and having a structured program and support/coaching to help you through. I certainly know that I rely heavily on these two things when I feel confused or out of sorts.
If this resonates with you, I highly recommend you check out my Squashletic training programs. There are workouts, programs, and other resources to help you elevate your squash fitness and overall training regime!
Happy training,
Nicole
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