I have been talking this month in my podcast (2guysonfitness.com) about the importance of resting sensibly when injured and in-between workouts.
Rest and recovery is, as I have touched upon on a number of occasions, an often ignored but vital part of any workout programme and we forget this important principle at our peril.
No matter how frustrating it may be to so rest!
Something related to this that I often get asked about concerns the value of exercising when away from the gym (and particularly when on holiday).
There are, as anyone who has searched online will know, a wide range of articles, blog posts and videos on this very subject, some of which are helpful and some of which are not so much. Only today, for example, I read a blog post on how to exercise on the plane on the way to your holiday (I kid you not - a lot of rotation in the seat was involved!) and, if you are looking to maximise the potential of your hotel room while exercising, then YouTube is your friend.
Now, obviously there is nothing wrong is maintaining a fit and active lifestyle whilst on holiday through activities such as hiking, playing sports like tennis, by swimming (a personal favourite of mine) or simply by walking to view local sites.
All of this is great, and being able to undertake such enjoyable activities is one of the reasons we exercise in the first place (or at least it should be). There is even something to be said for visiting local gyms whilst on holiday, if time is permitting and you are interested in a change of gym scenery.
Compare and contrast, as they say.
Where I think this becomes slightly problematic, however, is when the break from the norm morphs into a mirror image of the very norm you are looking to escape from and the holiday actually becomes a distraction from your workout (which is then continuing in a different clime).
There is nothing objectionable in taking a break from the gym, in stepping aside from your workout or in relaxing for a while, whether you find yourself in the sun or not. In fact, such breaks are the very definition of rest and recovery and without them nullifying repetition and over-training are real risks that can drain resolve and invite injury in the gym.
So, if you find yourself so fortunate that you have the opportunity to grab some time in the sun, on a city break, or indeed doing whatever it is that rings your holiday bell, take the break and reap the rewards by recharging body and mind.
The gym can always wait for another day, just so long as that wait is not too long.
And in the meantime, enjoy the summer.
Julien