Sgt Friday's April Tip of the Month

HABITS TO BREAK
1. You Never Stretch:
This bad habit contributes to shin splints, plantar fasciitis and muscle pulls which can side line you for weeks.
Fix it- your muscles get the most benefits post workout/run. It only takes approximately 10 extra minutes to stretch after your workout/run and you will save yourself weeks and even months of disappointment. Save yourself from future injuries by making the time to stretch and continue to feel the benefits down the road.

2. You Never Rest:
Over training can cause constant soreness, suppressed immunity, multiple injuries and moodiness with loss of motivation.
Fix it- Rest isn't the absence of training. Your body craves rest after tough workouts/runs. Your cardiovascular & muscular systems are restored and rebuilt through rest, and it's then that your performance and strength are gained.
Make sure your training program has recovery days integrated into them. A good training/running schedule would be one rest day per 2-3 workout days.

3. You're Night Owl:
When you're consistently short on sleep you compromise your immune system, recovery process and ability to remain mentally sharp.
Fix it- Sleep enhances the restoration of cells damaged from working out. Proper sleep varies with every person, therefore monitor the amount of sleep you get each night for a week and note the days in which you feel the best from those prior nights sleep. That usually balances out to how much sleep you need. The more consistent you are with getting the proper amount of sleep the stronger you will feel, the better your body can recover and the better your workouts/runs will be for you.