Workout Wednesday

What better way to kick off my Olympic Games Road to Rio 2016 diary than by joining in on the Workout Wednesday vibe!

This is inspired by the love my family, friends, followers and supporters have shown to a recent video post of me practising what I love – running and jumping. Visit my Instagram to watch this 15 second slow motion video of me perfecting my trade.

I have had a great couple of weeks of training and I thank God for this blessing of a healthy body, amongst other little-big victories in my life. (A little-big victory may seem insignificant on the surface, but my perception of it is as incredibly big and wonderful!)

After weeks like these you may think an athlete never struggles to take him or herself to practice. But it’s not true. Every athlete has days where s/he would prefer to lay in bed and skip practice. But if I gave in to that bed-day feeling every time I had it, I’d never be able to jump as far as I have done and will do in the future.

So if you’re not particularly feeling your ‘Workout Wednesday’ today, I’m writing as your voice of encouragement. Don’t skip leg day and don’t skip Workout Wednesday!

Here are a 3 quick tips to recharge your Workout Wednesday:

[1] Grab a friend!

I love working out with my training partners. They bring laughter, fun, craziness, encouragement, inspiration, motivation, and a long list of other positive life necessities. These all come in especially handy when I’m having a low energy day. Having beautiful personalities around you in your workout zone can work for you too.

[2] Grab a bite to eat.

Don’t work out hungry. It’s the most draining, energy-sapping, waste-of-time thing to do when it comes to workouts. Seriously, your work out instantly unhelpfully intensifies and you are more liable to hurt yourself. Eat 1-2 hours pre-workout for a happier, healthier, more effective workout. And make sure you grab a healthy protein-rich snack too for a post-workout boost for better muscle recovery.

[3] Grab a nap.

Babies and toddlers are my inspirations. Why did we ever ‘grow out of’ naps? My coach continually encourages me to get 70 hours of sleep per week as the most effective dose for recovery and weight management. That’s the athlete-standard. This may not be viable for you, but if you slept only 4 hours last night, don’t be afraid to grab a pillow and an early night every once in a while. Insufficient sleep can hamper a workouts’ effectiveness and may fatigue you for future workout sessions. So make sure you’re not sleep-deprived. Grab a nap (or an early night).

Stay Blessed!

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