The Right Amount of Stress with the Right Amount of Rest

Periodization aka The Growth Formula

  1. Isolate the muscle, skill or capability you want to grow.
  2. Stress it
  3. Rest and recover allowing for adaptation to occur
  4. Repeat. This time stressing the muscle, skill or capability a little bit more than you did the last time.

World Class Athletes are masters at this cycle. You, too, can be a master athlete!

Exercise Intervals

  • Prioritize recovery and work
    • Hard days, easy days, recovery days
    • Follow a hard month of training with an easy week
    • Intentionally design your work season depending on what event you want to train for.
    • Periods of psychological and physical restoration

The days, weeks, months and years of master athletes represent a continuous ebb and flow between stress and rest. Those who cannot figure out the right balance will either get hurt or burn out. Too much stress, not enough rest. Or become complacent and plateau. Not enough stress, too much rest. Those who can figure out the right balance, however, become lifelong champions.

Citing from the book: Peak Performance by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness