Summer is pretty much here, especially if this week is anything to go by, and no doubt you will soon be off on holiday. Some sun, some drink and most likely a shit load of food – it’s what holidays are made for right? Whether it’s one week or two, with the kids or without, abroad or in the UK most of us loose our shit and go nuts with our diet on holiday. We also do as little as possible – we’re supposed to relax yeah? – and sleep a little longer than normal. All of this adds up as pretty destructive for all the fitness gains we’ve made over the last few months.
Remember last year when you came back from holiday and hit the box for the first time and it was horrendous. You instantly regretted that 6th margarita (every night) and having doughnut’s and ice-cream for breakfast and swore next year you would be better whilst on holiday. By now you’re probably expecting a preachy article on how to eat clean on holiday, why you shouldn’t over indulge, why you should find your local box and keep going beast mode on holiday – not from me.
The vast majority of us work pretty fucking hard all year in our careers, with our families and in the gym. We get precious little time where we have zero concerns and a thousand of life’s little stress tests ruining our days. Two weeks in the sun, away from your boss, your neighbours, the news (who reads the news on holiday?) and hopefully your phone (no one wants to see holiday pictures on Facebook – if I want to see a picture of a fucking beach I’ll Google it) is the perfect time to take a break from training too.
In CrossFit, we put our bodies through a lot and we don’t always give it the recovery it needs. Use holiday time, providing you don’t holiday 5 times a year, to take a proper rest and let your body fully recover and adapt too all the training you have done in the months before.
You might feel a bit sluggish when you return and the first few sessions might seem a bit spicier than normal but you survived last time and got back to all cylinders so chances are you will again.
Obviously for those of you set on not nose diving out of your fitness regime there are loads of holiday hacks to keep you semi on track whilst away but that’s for next weeks article!
For those of you liking what you’re reading – relax on holiday, you’ve earnt it, no one spends £1000 to do burpees in their hotel room!